


As the Pale Moon Glows

by Jaynaria



Series: Glow [1]
Category: Vampire Knight
Genre: Akira Kuran is Yuki and Kaname's son, Kaname has problems, M/M, Mpreg, Reincarnation, Sort of changed things, Zero has adopted him, Zero is mama, but it's mostly canon, how do you even tag, once again i changed shit, yay
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-06
Updated: 2016-03-18
Packaged: 2018-05-18 11:40:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 23,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5927061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jaynaria/pseuds/Jaynaria
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kaname is Frozen, Yuki has changed, and Zero hangs by merely a thread. Yagari and Cross do their best to keep him together, but the only one who can really help him is FROZEN! Add the weird dreams Zero has been having to the mix, and you have a recipe for disaster, boiling on the stove.<br/>Unbetaed, Yaoi in later chapters, disclaimed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Hunt

**Author's Note:**

> THIS IS A DISCLAIMER  
> I only own the plot idea, not original story line of the work or characters.  
> There were some technical difficulties over at Fanfiction.net, and i was very confused. But! It all works out.  
> Also, reviews are appreciated, but not necessary. Constructive criticism is helpful! But please, I know it needs work. Be gentle? Danke!  
> Enjoy!

_ The thud of hooves upon the ground, the crisp night air. Zero can feel the rocking motions of the horse beneath him, and when he looks down he can see the white legs tearing at the earth as the ground blurs below them. He can feel the wind, whipping at his face, and the whistling sound it makes as it runs by his ears. The rest of the landscape is pitch black. To his sides and front it seems as though the land has been swallowed. To the rear, the steeds footsteps glow a blinding white, the color of said steed.  _

_ Quickly, Zero realizes that he is also lit. His clothes, they are old fashioned, and why is he wearing a cape, are, thankfully, only slightly glow-ey. His hands, on the other hand (hah-even in this weird place he can find something amusing), when he looks down at them, are their usual colors, but the emit a strange light. When he pays his hands too much attention, however, he is jerked by the horse's movement, and has to scramble to keep his balance. Once again situated, he realises that he never looked up.  _

_ And he has to remember to breathe, because the sight that meets his eyes is not something he really expected. _

~ 

Zero wakes in a sweat, his lungs burning with the need for oxygen and his heart going overtime. He drew his hand up with a groan, shielding his eyes from the brightness that leaked through his curtains. He concentrates for a few breathes, on simply calming himself down and pulling himself together. Giving a harsh sigh, Zero rolled away from the unforgiving light of the sun, and curled himself into a loose ball. These strange dreams had been happening for months, ever since Kaname Kuran had thrown his heart into the furnace and had been frozen by Hanabusa Aido beneath the Hunters Association.

The ache in his chest was something that he could not explain, something that echoed in his mind and ricocheted in his chest. Zero couldn’t understand it. He found, that he didn’t want to understand it. He found himself missing the old Yuki, during times like this.

Yuki had changed when her “older brother,” her ancestor, was no longer awake or aware enough to guide her. Changing herself so that she could fit with the descriptions of what the nobles and other vampire saw as the appropriate attitude for a pureblood princess. Conforming herself to their wishes, she became what Zero despised, and the change was so drastic it even changed her views on  _ him _ . Him and Cross Academy. Deciding that she had had enough playing school, Yuki married a young pureblood from the America’s, a man who was willing to take on the power and responsibility of the Kuran name. Likely because he was the second son and would not amount to much in his  _ own  _ household. She had given birth to Kaname’s child, and she had sent him to the Chairman and himself to raise, as she was  _ busy with her new family. _

Needless to say, neither of the recipients of the precious bundle were all too happy. Zero loved her dearly, but she had become someone who he would not be caught dead with. She had become a cruel and manipulative Pureblood. Cross, having at least more experience with children than Zero, got the pleasure of taking care of the boy. Yuki had named him Akira, after what his father had sought and longed for the most.

Yuki supported her brothers dream, and for that reason kept the Academy within the Kuran sphere of support. But she herself no longer attended, and she refused to speak with either him or the Chairman on anything other than business. That or talking, rather  _ lecturing _ , them about her son. The son that she  _ didn’t see anymore. _

Zero stretched himself out on the bed, and dragged himself towards the edge of it. Sitting up, he wearily observed the differences between the Moon and Sun dorms. He had been staying in the Moon dorms ever since he had graduated the school, he was not a prefect any longer and was considered something of a Hunter, even though his Vampire status kept him from being truly accepted by the Association. On occasion, they sent him assignments, but always dangerous ones, ones that he went on alone. Save the odd mission that Yagari-sensei or Kaito accompanied him on.

He pulled himself up and out of bed, his body protesting the movement and awareness during the daylight hours. Grabbing a pair of pants and a skin-tight black tee, he moved towards the door, and pondered what he would do that day. Leaving his room, he pauses to check in on Akira, and, seeing the boy still asleep, checks on the Chairman. Said man is asleep on the couch, twitching and murmuring happily as he dreams. _ You old fool, _ Zero thinks fondly, fixing the blanket back over the man.  _ Can’t you sleep in your room? _

The Chairman had taken Yuki’s abandonment hard, and had been in a funk for several months after she left. Eventually he pulled himself together, doing his best for his adopted son. When the boy had arrived, both of them had been shocked, but Yuki, who had only come to drop off the child, explained that she couldn’t care for him. Her new husband didn’t want their to be a child in their house that didn’t belong to the  _ both  _ of them. So she  _ brilliantly  _ decided to dump the kid on them. Not to say that they were not absolutely taken by the child. Little Akira Kuran had brought the two of them so much joy and hope, he was welcome to stay with them forever.

Passing through the kitchen for breakfast, Zero notices that Cross left the mail addressed to him aside. While leafing through the small pile, he notices the trademark envelope that the Association uses to send him his assignments. Wearily, he eyes the paper, debating whether or not to open it now or after breakfast.

Now, he decides, and rips open the envelope. As he thought, an assignment. Rolling his eyes, he unfolds the letter to get a good look at the simple message; 

**“A group of Level E’s, nesting site; East of the Academy. Eradicate them all.”**

How like them, to not even give him the exact coordinates. He can smell the distaste all over the letter, and wonders why they even bother to still send him on missions. _ I imagine, _ he thinks,  _ they do not do it because of my skill.  _

Finishing up his breakfast, and writing up a quick note for Cross, Zero walks back to his room to get ready for the hunt.

~

_ Luckily _ , he did end up finding the location of the nest. Zero was a professional Hunter, no matter how the Association treats him, he will still do his job. Currently on the mission from said Association, he stalks the nest of a large group of Level E’s. Zero thinks of himself as, first and foremost, a Hunter, or rather, a protector of humans. No matter his Vampiric nature or his status as a Level D, he still strives to be the person his parents would have raised him to be. Did he still have his Humanity? To the Association, the vampires, Hell, everyone but Chairman Cross, Yagari-sensei, and Kaito, that was up for debate. However, that didn’t mean Zero was going to act like an Inhuman beast. 

Musing over what his life has become, Zero dances across the battlefield, dodging the slashing fangs and claws of the bloodthirsty creatures that dream of draining him dry. In his mind he repeats the mantra that he learned, and trained himself to hold to; “No hesitation, shoot to kill, do not falter.” Those words had been drilled into his head since he was a child, but only after his sensei had gotten injured because of him did he realize the importance of such words. Bloody Rose, clenched tightly in his grip, shoots rapidly, and his aim is steady and sure. Dodge and fire, dodge and fire, rinse and repeat, again and again. His body reacts, his motions almost entirely automatic as he decimated the beings that are no longer Human.

The missions had been getting more and more dangerous, and his body couldn’t keep up. This one was easy, but that was setting off warning bells in his head. When all the Level E had been disposed of, he stayed, still and waiting for the metaphorical shoe to drop. His blood pulsed through his veins, his eyes darting rapidly about, but the adrenaline high was slowly fading, as the chemical was filtered from his blood. The attack came from his left, moving out from his blind spot into the open, and charging him with the recklessness that only a Level E can possess. He jerked to the side, his movement making barely dodge the attack of the Level E, but there was something off with this Vampire. It was too intelligent to be just another run-of-the-mill mad Vamp, and that was confirmed through the way the creature planned and waited, and even now, after the first attack failed, it just waited. It watched him with too intelligent eyes, and stayed just out of optimal range for Bloody Rose.

Wiping at the blood on his cheek, from the attack from said Vampire, an attack that would have taken his head if he were a lesser Hunter.  _ So this _ , he observes,  _ is why they had sent him _ . The E was strange, an unknown part of the equation, and they probably wanted them to take each other out. Two birds with one stone. That doesn’t confirm his theories, but the lack of information on the mission, the number of E’s for a single Hunter… It all pointed to disposal, disposal of an unknown variable. Come on, he was a Hunter, born and bred, he knew the ways they got rid of loose cannons. A soft sigh escapes him.  _ This is the last mission I take from them. Bastards. _

In a world of Hunters and Vampires, Humans received the shortest of the three-ended stick. Zero faced the last of the pack, more than likely the most intelligent one, and called both his Vampire and Hunter strength to the fore. The Hell he would give the Association the satisfaction of having him killed on this mission. The E had frozen when he turned to face it fully, and it watched him with its wide eyes, pupils blown by the scent of blood. The beast's fangs were bared and drool slid slowly down its chin. Zero paused when he realized that it was speaking, and that the words, though slightly unintelligible, if he strained his hearing he was able to make them out.

“Vampire...Hunter...different...strange...smells good...Vampire but...a Hunter...TRAITOR!” The murmuring grew steadily louder and broke into a screech halfway through the last word. It lunged, abandoning all caution in its bloodlust, and  foolishly ran into the range of the Anti-Vampire weapon clutched in Zero’s grip. As the vampire charges Zero raises his weapon and gives two harsh pulls upon ‘Roses trigger. Her response is a pair of coughs, the sound drowned out by both the harsh breathing of the two remaining creatures in the alley. Needless to say, both bullets meet their targets, the Vampire's chest and forehead respectively, and it vanishes into dust.

A sadness settles over Zero, and he grieves quietly for a moment. Grieves for the Humans that lost their lives, either by the hands of the level Es, or by the fangs of the Pureblood who turned them. Brushing the dust of the fallen Humans off of his body and clothes, he returns ‘Rose to her holster and turns to exit the building.

As he leaves he remembers, with a shock, as, _ how could he forget _ , that he too was turned by the highest of the Vampire society. That he too, will fall to madness and depravity. Maybe even slaughter humans before he dies, and judging from his power, not to mention his blood, he may take out a few Hunters, if they are sent after him. Sometimes Zero just wants to slide his gun between his teeth and pull the trigger, to end his life and ensure that he doesn’t take any innocent ones. That, he mused, was perhaps, part of the reason why he still Hunts. Not to say that Zero was a self-sacrificing individual, he wanted to live. At least he had hope he had wanted to. He would just do his job, and if he died during the completion of a mission? All part of the occupational hazards, risks taken by any and every Hunter that accepts a job. 

Zero had thought that he knew and accepted the fact that he would die. After all, every time he defeats an E his mind regurgitates the same thoughts and feelings, not to mention the fact that he had thought about it almost constantly since Shizuka Hio had killed his parents and Turned him. He realizes over and over again that he will go mad and be killed or taken as a slave to some bitch-ass Vampire, who will more than likely be a Pureblood. 

For a time, he had thought of other things, and allowed himself to hope. Yuki, and loving her, had been the lifejacket that he clung to amidst the storm of his emotions and the battering waves of Shizuka’s lingering control. Hating her, longing for Yuki and the sense of peace she gave him, that was all, that for four years, dominated his mind. Yuki destroyed him, twice now, Ichiru ripped him open, and Shizuka laughed as she danced on his broken heart. Now, all that was left of it was a bleeding, broken, mangled piece of flesh. And he killed himself internally, tore open wounds, whenever his thoughts veered down this path. Thinking about it only prolonged suffering.

_ Dammit _ , Zero cursed under his breath, _ I need to stop dwelling on that. It does more harm than good. Especially now that Yuki is gone.  _

Yuki and her brother had been Zero’s only source of nourishment for his Vampire side, and, despite how he fought it, the primal need for blood was always clawing at the back of his mind, tearing his restraint. He would try to resist, guzzle down blood tablets by the handful, no matter the harm they did him, and writhing when they not only did not satisfy him, but made his cravings worse. And blood tablets didn’t stop the needs of his body, and having had only pure blood since his vampire awakening, he was going through some heavy withdrawals. Pure blood, the only thing that could halt, or at least slow, the fall to Level E, was out of his reach. Kaname was frozen, Yuki was gone, and he refused to take blood from regular people. Knowing that he will fall without pure blood to sustain him, Zero will not try to fruitlessly prolong his life, and each time his Hunger surfaced the longing for Pure blood hit him, smacked him right in the face. He was  _ pathetic _ . 

Holding out for four years is an impressive feat, and clinging on, just barely, for another four years is admirable. However, all things come to an end. Eventually he will fade. He has been holding out since Yuki left him, but the drive and will to keep going forwards has slowly died.

Just as he was thinking this, as though called, in the middle of unfamiliar territory, bloodlust hit. The harsh burning in his throat roars to life. The dryness of his mouth. The screeching of his vampire side. Zero falls to the side, leaning heavily against the old walls of the building. Gasping breathes leave the young Hunter’s mouth, his face contorting in pain as he struggles to keep a hold upon his mind. He slowly slips away. Darkness encroaches upon his vision, and he heaves, even as his body gives out under the strain of his hunger.

As he fades from consciousness, a shadow fills his vision, and all he can think is; 

_ Fuck, why didn’t I sense them? _

~ 

“Damn kid, you fucked yourself up pretty badly.”

Yagari Touga stood over the spasming body of his former pupil. Well, in his opinion, he was still his pupil, little shit still had a lot to learn. Said little shit was getting there, though. He had been absolutely enraged when he had heard that the president of the Association had sent Zero on what was basically a suicide mission. Knowing that his student is strong does not halt the worry that swelled up and choked him. Zero was family. The higher ups  _ had sent his family to die. _

Yagari sighed, hand raking through his hair. He needed to get Zero out of here, nowhere was safe for him right now. Well, at least not out of Cross Academy. Drawing his eyes back to his student, who has been surprisingly quiet throughout his momentary lapse of attention, he sees that he has finally gone still, truly in the grasp of unconscious. Leaning down, making sure to shift his weapons, still keeping a good grip on his gun, he hefts Zero into his arms. He was a lot lighter than Yagari expected him to be.  _ Need to get some food in you, kid.  _

The six hour drive back to Cross Academy was not something Yagari enjoyed. His student was injured, passed out in his arms, and obviously suffering from bloodlust. The ride was tense and he kept flicking his eyes up to the mirror to keep an eye on Zero. Yagari kept telling himself that it was because he didn’t want him to be uncomfortable, but he also knew that the wariness in the presence of vampires caused him to also check that his student was not lunging for his jugular. No matter that he knew that Zero would never willingly do such a thing, much less to him. It still tickled at the back of his mind.

When they arrive at the academy, Cross greets them, takes in Zero’s condition, and promptly drops the happy persona. He and Cross take Zero into the house, and to what was once Yuki’s room, but is now Zero’s. The two of them drag Zero onto the bed, and Cross rushes away to do something or other, Yagari wasn’t really paying that much attention. 

Despite his worry, Zero had been out for the entire trip. With his (“stupid,” he mutters fondly,) student on his bed, he takes a moment to look around.  _ Kid barely has anything in his room. Extra bullets, clothes (all plain and boring, but functional), a shit-ton of socks holy motherfucking shit Zero what-the-hell-does-this-kid-need-that-many-socks-for-anyway?, a spare knife, etc. Almost nothing personal. But,  _ Yagari muses,  _ most Hunters are exactly the same. _ Out of the corner of one eye, he sees a pair of pictures. Placed gently beside the kids bed, on the nightstand, are the things he cherishes the most. Well,  _ pictures  _ of them anyway.

The one closest to the bed is a family photo, it has Zero’s parents, Ichiru, and himself in it. He is distantly surprised that they got a picture with him in it. He vaguely remembers standing while someone takes it, too. The other one, was the one he was sort of expecting. Chairman Cross, Yuki, before she changed, and Zero. Chuckling, he wonders how they got him to let them all take a picture together.  _ It was probably the girl.  _

The mission site had been a mess of dust and blood when Yagari had gotten there, and he couldn’t help but be even more angry at the Association.  _ They almost threw away the life of one of their best.  _ Absently, Yagari wonders how Zero got away with merely a scratch on such a dangerous mission. Shrugging, he decides to ask the kid when he wakes.

Cross comes bustling in, bringing with him a glass of water,blood tablets, and a huge fuss. Yagari endures the Chairman’s blubbering and ridiculousness as patiently as he can. He hopes to God that Zero wake up soon, though, or he’s going to kill something.


	2. The Call

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posted this on Fanfiction today, it took me longer than I thought it would...  
> Enjoy!

_How beautiful._

_The night sky was awash with fireflies._ Ha, no Zero, those are stars. _He tells himself, scoffing at the poetic bulshit that just wandered across his mind._ Fireflies are always moving. Not to mention, it’s too cold for them to live here. _Zero gazes up at the incredible beauty of the night sky above him. Still appreciating it despite the sappy thoughts. He had not been expecting, after the devouring darkness around him, to look up and be assaulted by a vision of glittering light. Head tipped back, he let his eyes slip shut, all he could feel in this moment was bliss._

_Slowly opening his eyes, he finds the moon. Wondering how he missed the bright pale blue ball in the sky, he concludes that this dream is one of the best in a long time. Smiling up at her, he breathes deeply the scent of the night, shutting his eyes again, and nearly missing when the rocking movements of the horse slowly vanish, and the world is still._

_Startled at the sudden change he opened his eyes._ Nothing. Still the weird black void _. He felt the weird feeling that people get when they go from moving very fast to not moving at all. Groaning, he dropped his head against his chest, curling up his knees to meet it._ The world is spinning, I am a fairy, and the butter churn is the one who counts the ballots. _Zero gave a weak grin at his nonsensical thoughts._

_“Zero? Are you alright?”_

_Snapping him out of his funk, Zero jerked upright. Oh God. That was a mistake. Regretting that he had done such a thing when he was already feeling bad._ Wait a moment. I know that voice. _The voice of his long-time rival turned enemy turned reluctant friend. Slowly, he opens his eyes, and takes in the change of scene. Where there was once thick darkness, there is now a mass of writhing gray. And the little bubble that had been surrounding him has expanded. Now he is sitting on a soft patch of grass, leaning against a tall tree. Zero snorts in amusement,_ how cliche.

_“Zero? Are you okay?” The voice now held a hint of concern, and a warm hand settled on his shoulder._

Why should I answer you _, is the immediate knee-jerk reaction to the Pureblood. But he did forget that the man was here, so Zero supposes that he can play along and answer his questions. He didn’t know why Kaname Kuran was in his dream, but he didn’t want to disturb the relative peace of it._

_“Yes? Sorry, I was spacing out.” he mutters, and turns his head to look at the person besides him for the first time. When he does, he is stunned into silence._

_~_

Akira Kuran was a little boy of four years. He is a Pureblood, and, like most children, mostly defenceless at this age. But he was smart. He had to be, all Purebloods did. It was to help the young Vampires live when they are at their weakest. That, and his father and grandparents, were very intelligent. His mother was an exception, not the rule. And anyway, it wasn’t as if he knew any of this.

Akira Kuran was afraid.

As said before, Akira is smart, and he knew enough about the world, coupled with his instinct, to know that the smell of blood meant injury. Injury, in the world of Vampires, usually meant _death_. And he recognised the scent of that blood. The first blood he had ever ingested, the blood of someone important to him.

He was huddled under his blanket, whimpering quietly. Curling up even tighter in the illusion of safety that his blanket provided, he started to cry. Tears escaped his eyes, and he shook, worry and fear combining in a mind to young to truly comprehend, much less process, the emotions.

The frightening scent momentarily grew stronger as a pair of shadows, he recognised them, they were familiar even when his sight was limited by the blanket over his face, rushed past his room. He gave a low keen when the scent abruptly cut off, confused for a moment.

When the scent appeared and then vanished again, he realised that it was just a door that had been closed, but he couldn’t help himself. Already too upset to acknowledge the rationale that his young mind tried to push to the forefront, he was overcome by fear. The fear that someone he depended upon was leaving him, the fear of abandonment. His cries escalated in volume, as he hid within the bundle of his blanket.

Akira Kuran shrieked his Call.

~

Kaien Cross was a simple man. He only needed friends and family to keep him happy. Zero, Yagari, Yuki, Kaname, and even the students of the school. His happiness, however, was shattered when Yuki changed. Not only did she leave them, but Zero became even more closed off from, well, basically everything, when she did. The single ray of light that came from the dark time after Kaname was Frozen, was his son.

The Headmaster had not known what Yuki had done, he and Zero, well Zero probably knew. But he only figured it out when Yuki actually told him that Kaname had a son. Anyways, the boy looked like both of them, was a Pureblood, name was Kuran, it wasn’t actually that hard to figure out.

Akira Kuran had brought out the life in Zero, had pulled he and Cross back together. Maybe even binding them tighter than they had been before. Well, actually, that was true. Zero had distanced himself. Regardless. The Boy had put a smile back upon his and his son's faces. They were relatively happy, even with Yuki’s betrayal.

But then, the Association began to turn on Zero. They decided that he was a liability, and that, as a Vampire, he should be put down. Permanently. Of course, they couldn’t exactly kill him outright, Yagari would blast them to smithereens if he saw his students’ name on the List. Not to mention the fact that the Kiryu family had been Hunters for over ten thousand years. But, they couldn’t very well let him join the Hunter ranks, either. Everyone in the Association refused to allow it. Even those who had known him or his parents.

The Hunters Association had given Zero Kiryu missions, if they could even be called that, that would have killed a Hunter with his skill level. Good thing he was a quick study. As they realized that he just got stronger, and often came back with very few injuries, they upped the ante. More and more difficult missions were given to the Ex-Human, and with each one he overcame, the Association became more and more desperate to be rid of him. Yagari and Kaito had been trying to keep up with the way the Association handled Zero, but sometimes, like this most recent mission, they couldn’t do anything.

When he had seen what had happened to his son, at first he was not very alarmed, but when Yagari had informed him that the boy’s thirst had caused him to fall unconscious. Shock and confusion rattled through him, he was relieved that Zero was relatively unharmed, but couldn’t place a reason to his sudden drop from the waking world.

As the two of them, Yagari doing most of the work, Cross flitting around, hovering anxiously, brought Zero to his room, he tried to pry information from the younger man. Needless to say, it didn’t work. Feeling useless for a moment, he stood in the room. Then, magically, he remembered the blood tablets. That, and the young Vampire in the other room. Snapping into action, he raced out of the room, heading for the kitchen, and the cabinet where the tablets were stored.

Snagging them off the shelf, he powered back towards Zero’s room. Pausing only for a moment to do a quick scan of Akira’s room. Seeing the small child wrapped in blankets, and, thinking him asleep, Cross rushed back into the other room. And proceeded to annoy him with his blubbering. If he had looked, truly looked, into the room, he would have seen the blankets shaking. As it was, the Chairman remained unaware, and that, in the end, caused Zero’s abrupt awakening.

~

Cross and Yagari were in the young Hunter’s room when it happened. Zero’s eyes snapped open. His eyes were open, but had no consciousness within them. The cry of the child his instincts had identified as his taking full control. Both of the senior Hunters, well one was an Ex-Hunter, but, heads had snapped around when the frightening aura of an enraged Vampire filled the room. They gaped at Zero, standing, no crouching on the bed, eyes a bloody red. In his instinct-driven state, he failed to recognise either of them, snarled, and shot out of the room. They were actually very lucky that he had not tried to harm them.

Zero’s mind was filled with rage and worry, driving him on, even in his Hunger-weakened state. He rushed through the house at a speed that only a Vampire could reach, and stumbled into the room that held Akira. The trip took him about five seconds. Even that amount of time was too long.

The child ceased his squalling immediately, sensing his Dam in the room. Giving a tear-filled sniff, he scrambled out from under his blanket and reached for Zero. And Zero, in turn, reached for the child, enfolding the young Vampire in his embrace. Blanket and all. Zero’s mind had returned when he had seen the child unharmed, but he still couldn’t resist, and pulled him against himself.

Clutching the young vampire close, he carefully let his hands run up and down his back, even as he scented the air. He made sure that his little one had no injuries. Having cemented the fact that his child didn’t have any injuries, his mind resurfaced. When it confirmed the safety of its child, Zero’s beast withdrew. Confusion took its place in the silver-haired mans mind. _If Akira was unharmed, why did he cry out?_

Feeling wetness on his shoulders, he forced his attention back on the child in his arms. This was how Yagari and Cross found them. Akira, clutching the older Vampire, tear trailing down his cheeks. Zero, holding the child close and making soft and soothing noises against his hair.

Cross immediately relaxed, and then cursed himself when he realised that he had left the child alone. With the scent of blood in the air, no less. _Not your smartest move, Kaien._

Yagari, on the other hand, was still worried. Not that he would ever admit it. “Zero.”

Said Vampire turned towards him, looking into his teacher's eyes questioningly.

Yagari narrowed them meaningfully, and jerked his head minutely towards the child clinging to his pupil. Zero tensed, remembering the reason he had been unconscious in the first place, and his own eyes narrowed. He understood, but that didn’t mean that he wouldn’t take offense. “I would never hurt him.” he murmured, glaring over the child's head at his mentor. His fangs were still out, and they slurred his speech, as Zero was not used to speaking with them extended.“Akira is…”

Akira, ignoring the tense air between the two, removed his head from the Ex-Human’s neck. He turned bright carmine eyes on Zero. Raising his small hand, he touched the side of Zero’s face, seeking the source of the blood on the older man’s face. “Dam.” he mumbled, raising his head, and said again; “Dam. My Dam.”

Yagari and Cross paused, confused as to what the child was saying and why. Usually he said only single words, “yes,” “no,” “please,” etcetera. Things that any child his age would say. But he never spoke in complete sentences. He never did. But he could. This new word was not something the eldest in the room had heard the boy say before. Zero, however, merely raised an eyebrow, surprised and amused at this unexpected turn of events.

“Dam.” Akira began to repeat it over and over again, reaffirming it and solidifying who he was speaking of in his mind. Zero’s eyes warmed, and he smiled gently. He knew what ‘Dam’ meant, having taken care of White Lily since she was a foal, and, well, researching horses to care for her better. He had taken Yuki’s place as the child’s mother. At least, in Akira’s mind.

Gently, he brushed his nose through the child's hair, molding him into a more comfortable position against his body. Akira, in turn clutched tighter to him, burying his face in the older male’s neck. The young Pureblood, despite being taken care of Cross, had never seen him as a parental figure. The young boy sees the man as a wolf pup would see another member of the pack. He knew that the Headmaster was safe, and could be trusted, but, even so, he was not the one that Akira wanted to be with.

Absently, Zero wondered when his sensei had grown fond enough of the young Vampire to defend him. He was a Pureblood. As he stroked the child's hair, he noticed that Cross was coaxing his teacher out of the room. Settling calmly in one of the chairs in the room, he held the child. Waiting until he stopped crying, in other words falling asleep, before he put him back in bed.

~

_“Here.”_

_Yuki held a small bundle in her arms, and when the Headmaster of Cross Academy opened the door upon which she had knocked, she immediately handed it over._

_“Yuki? What is this?” The Chairman was confused, but when the bundle in his arms moves and makes a soft sound, he jerks. His surprise is shown on his face, and Yuki shoots him a disgusted glance._

_“A baby. Mine and Kaname’s. His name is Akira Kuran, and I need you to care for him for me.” Yuki met his shocked eyes, her own dark eyes blank. “My husband and I cannot keep him. I know that you can raise him, so I decided to entrust him to you.”_

_“Wha- Yuki!” Cross gasped, he had unwrapped the child, and he was beautiful. “You are his MOTHER. You cannot just abandon him like this.” The child was tiny, his hands curled into little fists and eyes misty and unfocused. He gave a little cry in protest of being exposed to the cold outside air. Cross’ softened, this child was young, perhaps born not to long ago, and he was being given away by the one supposed to love him._

_Not receiving a reply from said child’s mother, the man looked up, mouth open to once again try to convince Yuki to keep her child, but she was gone. Yuki had left him, with her child in his arms, not even receiving an answer to her demand._

_Crestfallen, Cross turned away from the outside, wanting to get the poor boy out of the cold as soon as possible. He wrapped little Akira back in the blanket, and moved into the house. Zero, who had been in the kitchen, had sensed Yuki’s Pureblood aura, and retreated to his room. He felt her leave, but there was still an aura that remained. Turning towards his adopted son, Cross wordlessly showed the baby to him._

_Eyebrows shooting above up into his hairline, Zero connected the dots and figured out where the aura came from._

_“Zero, I need to make a few calls, and go shopping. Yuki didn’t leave anything with the child when she dropped him off. Will you watch him?”_

_Nodding, Zero opened his arms to receive the child. Cross gently transferred the child to his arms. “His name is Akira Kuran.” That was all that needed to be said, Zero immediately understood Yuki’s arrival. Screwing up his face as he held the small infant, Zero felt a small surge of rage towards the girl. He was unable to see why she would leave_ her child _with them._

_~_

The Moon Dorms were in absolute chaos. Purebloods had an affect on all lower class Vampires, and the cry of a Pure blooded child, accompanied by the smell of Vampire blood, set all residing in the dorms to a state of panic.

Takuma Ichijo, Senri Shiki, Hanabusa Aidou, and Akatsuki Kain knew who was calling. They had been informed by the Headmaster that a young Pureblood child was now living on campus. This little fact had been spread to the rest of the dorm, but only these four knew that the child was Kaname’s. Of course, having been at the Academy for many years no, they also recognised the scent of Zero’s blood.

They were the last of Kaname’s inner circle that still attended the school, and it was they who kept the peace at there, as per the wishes of the Pureblood they had served. Those of his inner circle Kaname had been proud to call his friends. He probably would be sad if he saw how they had separated.

Seiren had taken up a constant vigil of Kaname, and had been granted special permission by the Association to be there. Given largely for show, the Association knew that even if they hadn’t granted it she would have found some way to get in. That or killed anyone who stood in her way.

Ruka Souen had rejected Kain’s advances, and with the absence of her beloved Kaname, she had decided against continuing at the school. She missed her friends, and though she had rejected him, she still loved both Kain and Aidou. She was their cousin, of course she did. Her decision had been made, however, and she prided herself on being a woman of her word. Deciding that she would only go back if there was trouble, she continued to pursue a political career. Working hard to change the Vampire Council from the inside. Ruka did it for Kaname.

Rima Tooya had had a hard time after Shiki had rejected her. Finding a semblance of peace with Ruka, the two stayed away from the Academy. Rima assisted Ruka in her ambitions, and the two of them bonded over the mutual ache of a broken heart. Of course, the two would also help each other recover. If they had each other, so long as they were not alone, they knew that everything would be alright.

Those away from the Academy, with the exception of Seiren, did not feel their former friends child’s distress. The only reason Seiren herself heard was because she had a special connection to Kaname, as his guard, and could therefore feel the child. Takuma and the others did the best they could to calm the dorm, finding that the blood tablets helped a little. When the calling stopped, that helped even more. Especially as the scent of Pure blood never entered the atmosphere. As the Night Class calmed, the four of them gathered.

“Do you know what has happened? I never heard Akira-sama make that sound before.” Shiki was the first to speak, his normally calm expression breaking to show his concern. Tilting his head Aidou pondered what they knew, and being who he was, he did it aloud.

“Well, first we scented Kiryu’s blood, and then we heard him start to call. If it had been an attacker either from the Night Class, highly unlikely, given that Akira-sama is a Pureblood, or an intruder, we would have sensed him. Or, at least, the bloodlust.” Aidou had started strong, but his voice had begun to waver in uncertainty as he continued. When the Noble had reached the end of his little speech he had sounded almost hesitant.

Kain reached out to comfort his cousin. “Hanabusa, I’m sure we would have noticed something. It was Kiryu’s blood. If he had been injured on campus we would have heard the gunshots. Did you forget about his gun?”

Kain stared at his cousin’s face, silently willing his cousin to understand what he was saying. You could practically see the ‘processing’ symbol floating above his head.Takuma and Shiki watched, amused, and waited for their smartest dumbass to connect the nerves in his head.

When he got it, the other three in the room couldn’t help but show their amusement. Shiki and Kain smirked, and Takuma gave a soft laugh. Aidou, the fool, had gasped, and done that stupid thing that you see in manga when a character comes to a realization. The fist to palm thing? Yeah, that.

“So! He was probably on a mission! And got hurt!” He explained, turning towards the others, proud of his accomplishments. Kain and Takuma smiled encouragingly, and Takuma tried to muffle his snickers behind his hand. Aidou saw it, and, much to Takuma’s amusement, proceeded to threaten his friend with a nearby lamp, chasing him across the room.

Kain, torn between amused and worried, tried to get his cousin to calm the fuck down.

“What has that poor lamp ever done to you?”

“Haha, that's right, put the poor thing down.”

“Shut up, Kain! Takuma, this lamp is the murder weapon. Let's play CLUE!”

Shiki, though he was watching the whole time, didn’t understand how they ended up in the position they did. Kain lay, dazed, on the floor, Takuma held Aidou in the ever-popular martial arts reverse shrimp hold, and the shrimp was pounding on the floor, lamp forgotten by Kain. _Maybe he was hit by it._

Ignoring the peacekeeper, the internet troll, and the angry shrimp, Shiki wondered what it was that they had been talking about in the first place. _Oh well_ , he thought, pulling another box of Pocky out.

~

Kaname was dreaming. Well, he hoped so anyway. He didn’t usually remember his dreams, and hoped that this weird warp of a space _was_ actually a dream. It was either that, or Hell. _Oh, well, not like it matters either way._ He was still confined there after all.

Kaname was one of the Vampire Progenitor’s and he had lived for a very long time. Well, most of it he was asleep, but it still counts. With age, the mind and the awareness of the mind expands, and as such, his was enormous. Most of the time he pictured it as a catacomb. Not the dark ones in those movies, ew, but a home. A well maintained place of living.

Or not living. Kaname really didn’t care about the specifics anymore. He was alone here, only his memories and the ghosts of his past to keep him company. Every day he would walk the halls of his mind and observe the past, as it was through his eyes. Having very few happy memories, he lingered in those that could be called such.

Most of them had Yuki, his inner circle, his parents in this life, the chairman, and, most surprisingly, Kiryu. Zero and he had never really gotten along, and the boys hate for him had grown after he turned Yuki back into a Pureblood. What was puzzling him were his feelings for the Ex-Human. Or rather, his very confused feelings.

When they had first met, the boy had stabbed him with a butter knife. _A butter knife._ Talk about rude. Not to mention that he never even introduced himself. _Manners, Zero, manners._ The hatred that had poured from him had harmed Kaname, even more than the butter knife. Zero’s eyes, his face, the silver hair, even his name. All of the Ex-Human reminded Kaname of someone he had lost.

Zero was the spitting image of that person, but there were some key differences. For example, that person had been a Pureblood. Zero Kiryu was a Human, or at least, he had been born a Hunter. They were kind-of human. Even though they had been created when his mentor had given some Humans her blood and flesh. She had been Vampire Jesus.

ZERO was the name of the Pureblood from the past that Kaname had loved. He had protected Humans, Hunters, and Vampires alike, and had died because of it. Kaname doesn’t remember his birth. His first memory is of his mentor, and when she gave him his name. _This is a strange scenario, where I am wandering in my memories, and remembering them at the same time. Peculiar._

It was as he was remembering the time the three of them had together that he heard it. A Call. Calling was a part of a young Purebloods book of tricks, i.e., one of their defences. When a call was issued, it was for anyone who could protect them in the area. But it was also specially attuned to be for the child's Dam and Sire. Wincing, Kaname remembered that he had slept with Yuki before he was sealed. If he could hear the child’s Call, then the child must be his.

Kaname was an old Vampire, and he had had children before. He must have, or else, no descendants. None of his other children had ever called him like this. His child must be in trouble. Suddenly desperate, even more so when the Call cut off, he began to try to fight the immobile state of his body. To do that he must heal his wounds, and re-grow his heart. Possible, but not easy.

~

Seiren was with Kaname when it started. The ice which encased him began to tremble and quake, and it alerted the Hunters in the above-ground facility. Realising that the cause of this strange occurrence must have been the Call, Seiren wondered what exactly her master was trying to do.

She had felt a smidgen of guilt when the Call had passed through her master and into her. Immediately understanding that the child who had issued the Call was Kaname’s, she knew that he would rather she protect his child than himself, but she would not abandon him now. Not ever.

It hit her like a shit-ton of bricks. The Call. Made by Kaname’s child. Her master was trying to come back. Giddy with excitement, and not knowing or understanding how her master intended to revive himself, she allowed her mask to slip. Just a bit. But still, she smiled. Recognising that her master would be famished when he was out, she called for the Hunters to bring down as many tablets as they could gather. Almost as an afterthought, she also called, this time Takuma, to get as much donated blood as he could to the Hunters Association.

He sounded a tad out of breath, but she was still high on the knowledge that Kaname was waking up. She dismissed it.

“Seiren, -Aidou stop, this is important- please. Tell me what's going on.”

“He’s waking up. Kaname-sama is waking up.” Seiren gasped. “He’s _alive_.”

~

A/N

I suppose that’s it for chapter two…

 


	3. Days Are Numbered

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so glad that Akira has gotten so many positive reviews~  
> Sorry for being late, ended up getting a severe case of writers block. Enjoy!  
> ~Jay

_ZERO lived a long time ago. And he had killed hundreds by the time he was just one hundred years old. War took lives after all. And whether it was directly or not, they still died because of him. He only felt a little guilty, though._

_The world that he had created was one of bloodshed and destruction. Gunfire echoing in the distance, the shock waves of the explosives as they met the earth. To his enhanced senses, the air was saturated with the scent of blood and the dying cries of the people. And he was alone. But he knew why this was happening. He had done this, after all._

_All of this destruction, because of them. But it had to happen. The world had to be born again. New, it could be saved, the way it was now, it couldn’t. As the First Generation of the creatures that would become known as Vampires, only the twelve of them had the right to pass judgement upon their creators. They would be looked upon by later generations like the mad scientist and the monster he would create. But this would be many millennia in the future._

_The TWELVE were born in a lab. They never even got to feel the warmth of a mother's womb, such was how their creators wanted it. Five hundred human fetuses had been gathered by the government, and they were mutated. It no longer matters which one it was, for that was such a long time ago. Mutated, modified, genes taken and given, these five hundred children were the beginning. It was an ongoing process, the fetal humans artificially conceived, and beneath microscopes and probes, they were changed. Amniocentesis also aided the process, helping a greater amount of the experimental creatures to survive._

_ZERO was one of the survivors of the first experiment, hence the name. First to be born, to survive the excruciating pain that accompanied incompatible cells, the first to enter puberty. The first to drink blood. And he was one of the lucky ones. The failures had it worse. ZERO put down hundreds of his kin, those like him, and they had all begged him for death._

_However, everything has a cost. Of the five hundred original subjects, only about fifty survived, and only twelve to adulthood. These twelve would destroy the facility they were created at, killing all but one of the scientists. They had no idea that they would need to kill him. He was just a lab tech, never even met them, and they assumed that he knew nothing of the process of the experiments. That was their mistake._

_But Humans would not learn their lesson. The one who escaped would become the one to create the next generation. They were brought into existence about two decades later. The later generations had more success, and two hundred more powerful creatures were born. They all survived to adulthood, to the delight of their creator. These were the ones who would eventually be known as Purebloods, while the twelve would simply be referred to as the Numbers. Numbered ZERO to ELEVEN, they would aid the Humans in their struggle against the younger generation. Even though they would cause the destruction of the world. Guilt, maybe?_

_Eventually, the modifications became a virus, one that could be transferred via the bites of the original fifty, and the next two hundred. But nothing went as the scientists planned. As is the usual course for those who mess with the laws of the jungle, and try to play god. The virus was mutated, and those who were bitten became mad. Unless they were given the blood of the one who had bitten them in the first place._

_They took their name from some of the animal dna spliced into their own. Vampire Bats, how cliche. How dull. To him, one of the survivors, the world was a cruel place, and he wanted nothing to do with the Humans that inhabited it. So he left._

_While the others would eventually chose sides, the early generation going to the Humans, the latter leaning more towards using them like cattle. He was the only one of the Numbers that refused either side. Instead, his first twenty years were spent peacefully, he drank the blood of animals, and lived a Human life, with a Human family. Well, before they saw that he never aged, and drove him out. But he was happy, and that had to count for something._

_Everything changed when that girl and he met._

~

Underneath the main building of the Hunter’s Association, the giant ice crystal that encased Kaname Kuran began to break. Cracks spread spider-web thin across the surface, interweaving with one another and causing chips to break off. Falling to the floor, they would shatter and then each little piece would melt. As well as the cracks, the ice was melting. The temperature of the room, which had been kept at a cozy twenty-eight degrees, was raised to just above thirty-five. Helping the ice melt, but also allowing time for the Vampire inside of it to heal. Keeping her post at Kaname’s side, Seiren watched the steadily, if slowly, melting ice.

After everything that had happened, the Furnace in the basement continued to blaze hot. Visitors of the Pureblood King would huddle next to it for warmth, sometimes garnering glares from Hunters.

Excitement raced through Seiren’s veins, she was absolutely ecstatic. Unable to sit still, she was practically vibrating, and often paced about the chamber, avoiding the Furnace. Occasionally, she would pick at the ice, pulling off chunks, and aiding it in the breakdown process.

After she had called Takuma, she rang up Rima’s cell phone. To tell her the news, obviously. But,as it turns out, she had already been told by Aidou, her and Ruka were on their way. _The little shit,_ Seiren groused, _the news is mine to share._

The tablets had been brought to her, and when she had seen that it had not been enough, she had scowled at the Hunters until they left to get her more. They were quick to oblige the Vampire, much to her pleasure. Maybe she should scowl more often. Aware of when the others would be coming, she sent the Hunters who had been gathering the tablets to let her comrades in. All she had to do to silence their protests was glare. Now she understood why Kiryu did it so much. _Very effective._

Takuma, Kain, Shiki, Aidou, and, unsurprisingly, Headmaster Cross, bundled into the room. Aidou and the Headmaster made quite a fuss, fretting over a frigging frozen Vampire. Takuma, needless to say, was very amused. But more than that, he was overjoyed. His friend, that he had grown up with, known since they were young was coming back. Well, since _one_ of them was young. Cross, being the fucking dork everyone knew and loved, came in with a big black dufflebag. As Seiren was glaring at Takuma for not bringing the blood she had asked for, the Chairman spoke up.

“Seiren, he couldn’t exactly bring that blood in here. They are, one, Vampires, and two, supposed to be a vegetarian.” And then, like he was Mary- fucking- Poppins, he proceeded to open the bag and reveal the bags of donated blood he had managed to squirrel away inside it. His students could only look on in awe. Then he brought out an album, more blood tablets, though even then Seiren doubted that they would quench Kaname’s thirst, an ice pick, and blankets.

“Headmaster?”

“Yes?”

“The ice is already breaking. We do not need the ice pick.” Takuma said, plucking the object from where it had rested.

“Oh, I know.” The Headmaster’s reply was unexpected. The five awake Vampires turned to the man, all with varying degrees of incredulity pasted on their faces.

“This,” Cross said, snatching the object out of Takuma’s hands, “is for me. I need a weapon, and this seemed like a good choice.”

There were a few different reactions to this statement. Takuma was confused, Shiki was both bored and confused, how he manages it will always be a mystery. Kain was incredulous, Aidou was excited, what the Hell Aidou, you fucking loon, and Seiren was stumped.

Seeing their expressions, the Headmaster decides to enlighten them.

“I am also not allowed to have a weapon inside this building, and an ice pick is the only thing I could sneak in that would make some kind of sense.”

All this did was make the Vampires in the room even more confused. They decided to leave it for now, however. More important things to worry about.

Half an hour after the arrival of those from the Academy, and Aidou was going crazy. Waiting had never been on the list of things to do, and patience was never one of his strong suits. As the others so helpfully pointed out to him. All the time. He alternated between vibrating with, well, energy, and pacing the length of the room.

Ruka and Rima arrived just in time to see him lose it, grabbing the ice pick and doing fuck knows. The girls set themselves down beside Shiki and Takuma, leaning against one another, and watched. Shiki offered them some Pocky. As they munched upon the sweet, they caught up. With Takuma, who in all honesty just pushed in his two cents when he felt like it.

“Seiren- Aidou, Jesus Christ, stop it!- do you know when it is that Kaname-sama will wake up?” Kain, even while speaking, was struggling to keep a hold on his cousin. Aidou had begun to crawl both the walls and his cousin. When he saw the ice pick, just laying there, well. Kain had the misfortune of being the one to stand in the way of his cousin’s fun. As per usual. Now Kain was struggling to keep it out of his cousin’s grasp. Said cousin was crawling up the taller man’s body, and reaching for the object.

“No.” Seiren, used to their antics, shook her head.“But we must be ready. He could wake at any time.”

Shiki, who had migrated between Rima and Ruka, who was playing with his hair, looked up. Something had just occurred to him. Shaking off Ruka’s hands, the boy sat upright, and turned his intelligent eyes towards Seiren.

“Seiren?”

She turned towards the young Noble, raising an eyebrow in question. She had been in a deep conversation with Cross regarding all the practical, and impractical uses of an ice pick.

“Why now?”

Cross and the others in the room turned towards the young Noble, questioning where he was going with this. The headmaster had finally stopped talking. Seiren could only remember a bit about ice and frozen pants before he broke off.

Unnerved by all the eyes on him, Shiki nonetheless persevered. “Why is Kaname-sama waking up now?”

“Well,” Seiren started, “He started to stir when we heard the Call of his child…”

She trailed off. Everyone in the room’s thoughts were the same at that moment. A Call. Kaname was woken by a Call. That means that what is going to come out of that icicle will not be Kaname Kuran. It will be an angry Pureblood Sire.

_Shit._

~

Yagari, meanwhile was very confused. Cross had heard the phone ring and been gone for just a few seconds before he began to squeal like he was a stuck pig. Zero was the only one who had winced at the sound, and when Akira twitched in his sleep, made to go for the door. Rolling his eyes, Yagari gestured for his pupil to remain with the child, his presence was probably keeping the boy calm enough to sleep. If he woke up and started hollering again, well.

So Yagari went instead.

When he had reached the kitchen, he found the man bouncing about, gathering together a huge duffle bag and stuffing, a picture album, blood tablets, an ice pick, _what the actual fuck_ , and a couple blankets. Grinning up at Yagari when he entered the room, he gave a cheery wave, and hauled ass out the door.

Left in the Headmaster’s dust, Yagari stared after his long-time friend, and prayed to a God that he didn’t believe in for patience. Deciding to pummel the crap out of the man later, he turned back to the kitchen, and decided to make himself a sandwich. Food might help him. Maybe he would grab a glass of that icky iron-smelling tablet water for Zero.

In the end, Yagari didn’t get answers, Cross got away, and what the fuck was an ice pick doing in the kitchen. He would have to talk to Zero about keeping that crazy man out of the kitchen. After he investigated it. Safety.

~

Zero watched Yagari-sensei leave the room, and, huffing, settled himself beside Akira’s bed. Sliding his hand over the blankets, he gently pushed some of the child's hair away from his face. Akira leaned into his touch, his hand coming up and clutching at Zero’s sleeve. Expression softening, Zero couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face.

Akira had filled a gaping hole in his heart, had helped Zero heal from the crippling blow that Yuki dealt him. He loved the child dearly, and had since the boy had been set in his arms. Such a sweet child didn’t deserve Yuki, or someone as broken as Zero himself was. But no way in Hell was he going to let anyone have _his child_.

Akira was his now, and he would accept nothing else.

In his sleep the child clung tightly to Zero, and his dreams were peacefully dark. They stayed like that for a while, and Zero dozed a bit before a sharp exclamation from the direction of the kitchen startled him. Well, _now_ he was awake. He slid his eyes away from the door, back towards the boy on the bed. Akira was still curled around his hand. It was a very sweet picture.

As he lay there, moving his other hand to the child’s hair, he let his thoughts roam as they wished. _Of course_ , they went right to the boy on the bed.

Akira Kuran was given the name that he was for his Sire. ‘Akira’ means ‘bright’, ‘dawn’, or ‘light’. Given the name by his birth mother, it was a symbol. The child was meant to symbolize the light in the darkness, the hope in times with a limited supply.

Zero thought that the child’s name was perfect. It fit him, in the Ex-Human’s eyes the boy was bright. His sunny personality also attributed to both the Headmasters and Zero’s appreciation of it. _Something Yuki did right,_ Zero mused. But, even with the boys dark coloring, he seemed to glow. He had curly dark hair, a rich auburn, which Cross had commented was very similar to Juri Kurans’. His carmine eyes were large and round, and complemented his face nicely.

Zero was very fond of Akira’s face. He often amused himself by playing with the boy’s baby fat. Pinching his cheeks, tickling his belly. The boy’s reactions always brought a smile to Zero’s face. The wide smile, the joy-filled giggles, they delighted both of the older beings that lived in the house. Kaito and Yagari too, even though the latter refused to admit it. It was all very sappy and domestic. Things that Zero would never have thought would have been a part of his life. Another sharp noise from the kitchen, this time louder, jerked the young Vampire from his slumber.

Waking up from his nap, Akira was absolutely overjoyed to find Zero beside him. When Zero opened his arms, the boy scrambled forwards. Falling headfirst into his Dam’s embrace, and chirping happily like he was an infant. He tucked himself against the adult Vampire’s neck, and snuggled as close as he could get.

“Are you awake now? Hungry?”

Zero dropped his head down, and murmured the words into the child’s hair. Blinking, Akira looked up at him. Nodding his head, he pointed towards the door.

Zero was not impressed. “Words, Akira.” He said, voice as dry as a chunk of solid carbon dioxide.

Narrowing his eyes, the small Vampire pouted up at Zero. Bottom lip pushed out slightly, he just looked like a petulant kitten. Looking up at his Dam from beneath long lashes, he begged with his eyes. When that didn’t work, Akira decided to try to up the cuteness. Breaking into a wide yawn, he tried to convey as much innocence as possible. Adding the little eye-rub which was usually the icing on the cake. Despite his efforts, however, Zero was not swayed, just amused. His voice said as much.

“Akira,” he sing-songs playfully, “you have to speak. Or I won’t know what you’re asking for.” Mimicking the child’s pout, a strange, but not unattractive look for him, he gestured to his own face. “This? I don’t understand.” He knew exactly what Akira was trying to do. Cross fell for it all the time. But they had to get the boy used to talking. He was a Pureblood, after all. He would have to face the paparazzi eventually.

“Applesauce.” Akira finally said, pout returning full force. “Please.” He was quick to tack on the please, knowing how Zero would react to him demanding things. The adults in the house had always stressed the importance of _please_ and _thank you_. Anyway, he was a big boy now. He could ask things like a grown-up.

Zero was pleased with his child, and ruffled his hair, permanently dissolving the pout. A happy smile replaced it. _Little brat._

Rocking to his feet, years of holding weapons aiding in the seamless upwards motion. He was getting used to carrying the boy with him everywhere. Even if he could walk. Teasingly, Zero went a little too far forwards, and laughed when the child squealed. Moving towards the door, he settled the child against his hip, balancing and securing him. Bumping the door the rest of the way open with his other hip, Cross had told him to _stop using his foot_ , the two moved down the hall. On the way towards the kitchen Zero would playfully put a little more bounce in his step, delighting in the childlike laughter that was the result.

Yagari, who had forgotten his original purpose for staying in the kitchen, was making a huge racket. _Obviously_. It was a wonder that he hadn’t woken up the young Pureblood earlier, if he was being this careless. When the two Vampires joined the Hunter in the room, and saw what he was doing, they reacted differently.

Yagari had gutted the kitchen, with everything dumped upon the counter. Spices and condiments, fruits, vegetables, and meats, dishes, cans of soup, cooking wine and vinegar, measuring cups, rice and flour. All of it in a disorganized heap on the counter. Cabinets were empty, the fridge hung open, also empty. Zero noted that the floor was clean, even with the mess. Nothing had been spilled. And amongst the horror of the kitchen was a _very_ frazzled Yagari Touga.

Elbow deep in soapy dish water, the Hunter was scrubbing furiously at one of the pans. Evidently he had been at this for some time, as the dishwasher, contrary to everything else in the room, was almost full. Caught red-handed in sudsy water, Yagari scowled at his pupil.

Said pupil was frozen, shocked. Akira, meanwhile, was clapping, enjoying the chaos. _Cute little shit_ . Yagari was going to _enjoy_ training him. Kaito too, but in mischief and not weaponry. Well, maybe.

“Look over there.” His sensei muttered, “See that? Fucking Cross.” He trailed off, mumbling under his breath about the _idiocy_ of _certain people_ . Warily, Zero turned, and he knew it was bad even before he saw it. Because the small devil playing koala on his body made a wordless sound of _delight_. Dread crawling up the Ex-Human’s spine, he took in the pile on the floor.

An axe, flick blade, a pair of pants (slightly frozen), extra bullets, a small bean bag, four nails, a hammer, and a small wooden block. “Those,” Yagari grunted from behind them, “I found scattered about this kitchen. Who puts a pair of pants in the _freezer_?” He trailed off again, likely saying words not meant for young ears. Back to muttering-sensei, as Cross so lovingly called him. But just when he got like this. Or he would likely be dead.

Akira, who by now had gotten bored of things, was the only one of the three who was not in some state of shock. Tugging on his Dam’s shirt, Akira tried to redirect the older Vampire’s attention back on _him_. Snapping out of the confused haze his mind had been trapped in, Zero focused back on his child.

“Let’s get you some applesauce and get out, huh?” He mutters, turning back towards the pile of food. Shuffling things around, Akira helps, they find both a plastic spoon and an individually packaged container of applesauce. Now content, Akira just holds his applesauce and spoon. Zero takes them to the living room. Settling himself and Akira behind the low table, against the couch.

Akira scoots himself between Zero’s legs, and happily opens his applesauce.

This is how Kaname and company find them, when the old Pureblood bangs into the house. Seeing what he does, his child in the hands of someone whom he could never really trust, Kaname’s eyes turn red.

~

_The first few days after Akira had been brought to them were absolute Hell. Neither of them had ever taken care of such a young creature, okay, nevermind, White Lily counts. But still, this was a Pureblood child. And, as they had figured out, he had never been touched by another Vampire. No skin-to-skin contact with any of his own kind. Yuki had only held him once, to deliver him to Cross’ arms, and he had never imprinted upon her. In his mind, she was not his mother._

_Babies are usually put on their mother's’ chest right after they are born. This helps them come to grips with the trauma of the birth, and develops the maternal bond between the two. Well, Akira never had that. And Vampire children are like Human children in this regard. The first Vampire whose heartbeat he felt, whose blood he tasted, was the one he would call his mother._

_That ended up, totally on accident, being Zero._

_Zero had held the boy when he had first been brought to them, and had held him close to his chest. Like you would normally hold a child. Guess what Akira heard? Yeah, Zero’s heartbeat._

_The next hurdle came when the child became Thirsty. The first blood that a Vampire drinks is usually the blood of another Vampire. In Pureblood society, it is usually kin. When Akira’s thirst became apparent, and he absolutely refused to drink the blood tablets, not that Zero blamed him, shit was disgusting, there came the dilemma. But seriously, how can such a young child throw a plastic bottle across the room hard enough to shatter it. Purebloods, sheesh._

_Purebloods, no matter the age, would turn any Human that they bit._

_Zero, as a Level D, was already a Vampire. The Headmaster was a Human, albeit an old one. So, they decided that Zero would feed the boy, until he could stomach the blood tablets. Guess what happened? The bond between ‘mother’, or Dam, and child was formed. Established. Whatever._

_It all worked out._

_~_

_When she found him, she had been fifteen years old._

_He, at the age of fifty years, had not aged a day past nineteen. His aging had slowed when he hit his teen years and had totally stopped by the time he was twenty-five. He had lived for thirty-two years away from the others of his kind. And was perfectly content to let it remain that way._

_He had been living in a sort of monastery after being driven out of his village. Becoming a monk had helped him, after the trauma of literally being chased by a mob with pitchforks and torches. It would help him when he came across her too._

_She was a bedraggled thing, wearing ripped and torn clothes. Golden hair in a tangle, leaves and twigs caught in it. Scratches all over her body. Plain gray clothes, the kind that they had placed on_ people like him _. On experiments in the facilities. And the look in her eyes, the distrustful curiosity of someone who was too damaged to react as normal Humans would._

 _Zero had known what she was immediately, he had been like her too. But there was one key difference. She was full of_ life _. Where Zero had rejected the world that he had been born to, what he was, she_ embraced _it. She met everything with her arms spread wide. He admired her. But he also thought she was a fool._

_So, he decided to teach her. Prepare her for the world as best he could._

_The first thing he gave her was a name. Seemed a logical step to him._

_“Everything has a name in this world, something that is theirs. Even the title ‘sensei’ has a meaning.” She shot him a look when he said that, obviously not following her confusing sensei. She had too much energy, often, to truly be taught. But he tried his best._

_Sighing, he continued. “I am not like you. I am one of twelve, and I gave myself the name ZERO.”_

_“Sensei?” She had a furrow on her forehead, still not understanding. “What does having a name have to do with anything?”_

_“A name will help you.” That was all that he would tell her. She would have to figure the rest out on her own._

_“Well,” she spoke thoughtfully, “Can you give me a name, Sensei?”_

_Raising an eyebrow, he looked at his young student thoughtfully. “Yuri.” He said at last._

_“Yuri?”_

_“Yes, for your pale hair and green eyes. It means ‘Lily flower’.”_

_Yuri, newly named, grinned up at her sensei, eyes shining with gratitude. “Yuri. Thank you, ZERO.”_


	4. The Awakening

_The ice gave a shuddering crack and split._

_Clean down the middle. Steam filled the room, accompanied by the dangerous flood of a Pureblood’s aura. The aura of an ancient Vampire permeated the air, alerting everyone to the presence of Kaname Kuran. Awake and aware for the first time in nearly seven years._

_Shuddering, the Noble Vampires drew together, seeking comfort and protection in numbers. Kain and Takuma shoved Aidou, Shiki, Ruka, and Rima behind them. Seiren inched in front of them, eyes riveted upon the steam obscured crack. Cross? Wisely, he kept his distance, staying behind the Vampires._

_A clawed hand ripped through the steam, land harshly against the ice. More cracks spread through the surface, and the impact caused a harsh sound to resonate in the room. The hand landing with a harsh and resounding crack upon the ice that had not fully melted, it helped to clear away a good portion of the lingering steam. A low growl reverberated in the tense air of the room. Crushing some of the ice beneath it, the hand was trying to steady the body it belonged to._

_Startled, the people in the room tensed, grouping even closer together, and even unshakeable Seiren paused. Rightfully wary of the older and more powerful creature, they were unsure about his state of mind. Seiren recovered first, and moved forwards, posture submissive and relaxed, as she trained her eyes upon the still mostly obscured pureblood vampire._

_A sudden burst of aura cleared the remaining steam and shoved the cloven and broken ice away. Luckily, nothing hit either the Furnace or the Vampires standing beside it. Kaname Kuran looked feral, irises scarlet and glowing within sunken eyes, his jaw and cheekbones slightly more pronounced. His fangs were very much larger than a normal Vampire’s, they nearly took up the man's whole mouth, and even his canines on the lower jaw had been enlarged. Thirst was prominent in his very ragged breathes and his hungry and cat-like gaze. Scanning the room, his pupils constricted further, and the rumbling of a very powerful vampire’s growl echoed in the room._

_“Kaname-sama?” Seiren's voice broke the thickness of the silence, her voice a rasp as her throat was constricted by the aura that flowed around her. His eyes snapped to her, and she almost flinched, catching herself. She was in the presence of a volatile apex predator, and knew that even the slightest movement out of place would mean the end of her life._

_She angled her head in such a way that bared her throat to her master, hoping that the submissive display would snap him back to reality. Seiren was, very, very, lucky. he was not so far gone that he failed to recognize her, and he did come back to himself. Briefly._

_“Seiren?” Kaname’s voice was a combination of a rasp and a growl, his throat constricting as he tried to speak around the dryness of his throat. Seiren’s relief was short-lived, however, when her masters’ bloodlust regained control._

_The momentary understanding fled his eyes, and he lunged. Seiren gasped as he grasped ahold of her, her eyes going wide with surprise and a hint of fear. “I need blood.” With that, he drove his too-big fangs deep into her neck, shuddering with the feel of the warm and lifegiving blood soothing the hunger. His friend and willing victim did the best she could to remain as still as possible._

_She just hoped that he would regain his mind in time to allow her to live. He would probably be upset if she were to die, after all._

_Kaname drank deeply, all of his attention trained upon the warm fluid draining from the not so unwilling body he held. But he was shocked out of his trance like state when there was a banging upon the heavy metal door. The hunters had arrived, noticing the commotion and the scent of blood._

_The old pureblood tensed, but had regained enough of himself to realize that yes, it would be bad if he just yanked his teeth out of his subordinates neck. So, he carefully withdrew his fangs, and licked the wounds closed. Now that he was back to himself, he wanted to be able to cause her the least amount of pain possible. Seiren was very happy to be alive, as she had not been sure that would have happened._

_Chairman Cross, the smart man had stepped out of the room quickly, allowing none of the hunters inside, and proceeded to tell an abridged version of what was happening. He handled the small crowd with ease, displaying the dormant skills of a long-time and respected hunter. He wanted to keep this as contained as possible until Kaname was able to defend himself._

_Takuma and the others swarmed the others, offered blood tablets and the bagged blood to the two who had been through a severe drain. Seiren nodded her thanks, still very dazed, and Kaname, through his still red eyes, murmured a soft thanks to them as he downed glass after glass and continued to replenish himself._

~

Zero had tensed when the house had been invaded by the Pureblood. It was all very reasonable, he would tell himself later, as he had _his child_ in his lap and a very incensed presence had burst inside of what was supposed to be a safe haven suddenly. Seeing the lingering scarlet in those usually wine colored eyes was _beyond_ alarming. Also, the shock of seeing someone thought to be dead. No wonder Zero freaked the fuck out.

And freak the fuck out he did. Even more so when those eyes settled upon himself and Akira.

Red eyes, large claws and teeth. Attention on the child in Zero’s arms. _Oh hell no._

Zero curled forwards, snapping his arms into a protective cage about the child, baring his own fangs at the intruder. Akira, sensing the hostile and agitated emotions of his Dam, twisted himself (while managing to keep his applesauce mostly in the cup), pressing close against his chest, his back fitting against Zero’s frantically beating heart. But the young vampire couldn’t deny his curiosity. At least, not for very long, so he wriggled again, and shifted so that he could angle his face through the arms of his Dam. The youngest in the room peered curiously at the new presence. The presence that had _disturbed_ his peaceful snack.

Both Kaname and Zero had locked eyes, and held that position for a while, glaring at each other. Well, Zero glared, Kaname stared (loomed) from the doorway. His eyes caught Akira’s movement, and, much to Zero’s snarled displeasure, moved down to meet his son’s gaze.

Cross stumbled through the doorway, panting harshly, and forcefully trying to nudge the Pureblood aside. ‘Try’ being the keyword here. He didn’t succeed, but he did manage to squeeze past. Taking in the situation, he jerked between them and held his hands up in the universal ‘no-harm-meant’ position.

“Kaname-kun, Zero, please calm down.” He looked pleadingly back and forth between them, “Kaname-kun just woke, and now he wants to see his son. _Let’s all calm down._ ” His tone was pleading, but he managed to calm the two down, for now anyway.

Slowly, Kaname forced his claws and fangs to retract. Seeing the son whose Call had woken him in the first place calm and obviously unharmed, helped him to relax. Zero, seeing the change, also allowed himself to relax his defensive posture. But he was by no means placated. On the contrary, he was absolutely _livid_. He made sure the others were aware of this by keeping his fangs bared. Slightly.

Kaname was not very happy either, and made sure to make his displeasure known. He turned his eyes to the Headmaster, for just a moment, and spoke. “You will answer some my questions. And, believe me, I have quite a few.” The Pureblood's voice was low, and held no small amount of threat behind it.

Cross nodded, he had anticipated the questions that would come when Kaname realized that his son was not in the presence of his biological mother. He invited Kaname to come and sit with him in his office, and Kaname wordlessly declined. Kaname settled himself across the table from Zero and Akira, keeping his eyes locked on the two of them. Zero was obviously displeased, showing his contempt and displeasure by glaring anew at the older Vampire.

But with the vampire on the ground beside them, Zero was forced to be civil as well, and slowly uncurled himself from his child. The atmosphere in the room was tense, the silence thick and cloying, and only broken by Kaname.

“Cross. What is going on. Where is Yuki.” His voice was low and dangerous, and that made it clear that he was demanding answers, not asking questions. The Pureblood was confused.

~

Akira, after the threat had passed, was perfectly happy where he was, and kept himself there in the safety of Zero’s arms. He returned to enthusiastically devouring his snack, oblivious to the atmosphere that settled around him like pesky bugs on a hot day. Finishing quickly, he was a tiny bit hungry still, but he was good for now. A guest was here. And, according to his Dam and the weird man with the long hair, he had to be a good boy. Well, better than usual.

Later, when he didn’t have to behave for company, he planned on raising hell. And likely demanding sweets.

When he heard the older pureblood speak, he wriggled around in his Dam’s arms, and straightened himself. He was trying to look more mature, and was only succeeding in making nearly everyone in the room try to stifle their smiles. Mainly Cross, but whatever. The other two were to serious, and Yagari was still in the kitchen.

Deciding the silence had gone on long enough, Zero began to speak. “What are you doing here, Kuran?”

Kaname finally snapped his eyes up to Zero, from where he had been focusing upon his child, and just stared at him. For a full five seconds he remained silent, and just held the Ex-Human’s eyes. He was much calmer than when he had arrived. His child- he had a child- was safe, and obviously with people who would care for him, if Zero’s protective display was anything to go by. The boy was in no danger.

“I heard him,” he said at last, again angling his eyes back to his son, “I heard him Call me.” his voice was soft, and confusion could be heard when he spoke next. “But, I don’t understand. What happened? Where is Yuki?” Kaname’s eyes had grown sharp as he said this, focusing upon the people in the room.

At the mention of her name, Zero flinched, and Cross, who had, by now moved to the kitchen to fetch tea, went very still. Yagari knew what was happening in the house, and was in the process of ignoring all of the ungrateful fuckboys who dared just leave him in the kitchen to clean like a motherfucking slave. These things did not go unnoticed by the Pureblood in the room, and his eyes narrowed even further, suspicious and wary.

Unwilling to say anything at this, Zero went silent, and Cross began to dally in the kitchen, avoiding the situation mounting in the other room.

Zero, growing tired of the silence, and noting the way that as it dragged on, Kaname grew more and more agitated, opened his mouth to speak. However, the little vampire in his arms beat him to it. _Honestly, Akira, sometimes you should just let the adults handle things like this,_ Zero thought, dragging his gaze down to look fondly at his child.

“Who are you?” Akira’s slightly high-pitched voice cut through the silence. He was _not_ a happy camper. This had been a rough night for him, his Dam had been injured, he was upset, his snack had been momentarily disrupted, and, most of all, this strange vampire was interrupting his family time.

Akira couldn’t pout, though, he wouldn’t, and his Dam had said that it didn’t do anything.

But he was curious. He reached out towards the older Vampire, with his aura, and hesitantly probed the older vampire’s. He wanted to know why, when an unfamiliar, older, and more powerful Pureblood was in his territory, he did not feel threatened in the slightest. This man was familiar.

Akira knew this person, and he had responded to the boys Call. His Dam had at first been very hostile, but had calmed and was now sitting across from this man. Mostly calm. Akira could still feel the unease in the body that held him, and knew that the deliberate looseness of his muscles was a precursor to attack. Akira’s Dam was wary, but he was no longer in a fight-or-flight state of mind.

Curious, indeed.

~

Kaname  was absolutely taken aback by his child. Not to mention the smidgen of pride, his son was bold, and though he needed to learn control, he was very powerful. In the new-and-not-practiced sense, sure, but it was still an impressive amount of power. He was a diamond in the rough, Kaname’s son. He was slightly advanced for his age, not to mention the lack of a Pureblood tutor. Kaname was very surprised when his son had probed his aura. Not many learned that particular skill until they were at least in their late teens.

Softening, he decided to answer his child. “My name is Kaname Kuran, and- I am your father.” Stuttering upon the last bit, he decided to just get it out and over with. Kaname wanted to know how his son would react. He watched as those intelligent eyes flashed with understanding. Yet another reason to feel proud of his progeny.

To Kaname’s surprise, he also didn’t seem all too shocked about what would be a gravity defying revelation for others. His son barely batted an eye. Just nodded, and moved on.

Kaname continued to observe the boy, and saw him cast a glance behind him at Zero. “Dam says to introduce myself after they have.” The boy mutters, and Kaname is left in a slight daze, Had he just referred to Zero as his _Dam_?

“My name is Akira Kuran. I’m five years old and a Pureblood.” This was said with no small amount of pride and challenge. It was as though he was challenging Kaname over his status. Newly named Akira nodded, pleased with himself, and tilted his head back, resting it upon Zero’s chest. He peaked up through dark lashes to look at said Hunter, and was given a brisk nod of approval.

Kaname was slowly piecing everything together, but was a few leafs short of a bale. “Zero,” he said, turning his attention back upon the man. When Zero looked up at him, he continued, voice slightly desperate. “Tell me,” it was a plea, “Where is Yuki?” Where is his mother, why isn’t she here. Those were the unspoken questions.

Cross poked his head back through the door, he had not missed the tremor in his former student’s voice. Just his head- God dammit Cross.

“She is alive, Kaname-kun.” Kaname released a soft breath when the Headmaster said this, but the worst was yet to come. “But she is not here. She hasn’t been here in a long time.” The gasping breath that Kaname sucked back in was almost heartbreaking. “She only came here to bring us Akira.” Cross had kept his voice soft through the delivering of this earth shattering news, but that did little to soften the blow.

“Why is she not here?” Kaname rasped, barely holding onto his calm. He was confused, distraught. Dear, sweet Yuki was not with their child. Their child had been alive for five years without his mother.

~

_Yuri was absolutely enthralled with the world. Her sensei was also very cool, but she had greeted the world before she had greeted him. She knew the world before she had learned of his presence in her life._

_Yuri grew up in the facility as number seventy-three. She was in the second generation of the creature’s that had been modified from humans. In the eyes of the genetic engineers and scientists, she was a good girl. In the researcher's eyes she was the perfect test subject, an exemplary experiment. Yuri was cooperative, non-violent, and had a pleasant disposition. See? Perfect._

_But even she wanted to be free. She wanted to see the world, to not be bound by the shackles forced upon her by the scientists. When the facility was destroyed by the test subjects, she fled. She didn’t have anything at this time, save her number, and wanted a new beginning. During her journey, she would occasionally find and associate churches with both food and a blood supply._

_Such is the life of a lost little girl._

_Wandering about for three weeks, she was tired, hungry, and almost dead on her feet, when she came across the monastery. And her time without a steady supply of blood had made her violent. At least a little. She had stolen, drank from humans after assaulting them, and just generally disobeying the law._

_Did she do it for a reason? Perhaps. For if she had not done these things she could have gone mad with bloodlust and killed someone. The one thing that she didn’t do. If she hadn’t stolen, she would be without clothes or perhaps without her life. A safe place for the night, bought with stolen money or not, can make all the difference between being taken by the slave traders and raped, and being free in one piece. Well, relatively._

_She had finally shed the shackles of the prison she had known her whole life. She was not going to let herself be caught. And yes, she could have just used her powers to get herself out of trouble. But, the problem was, that she didn’t know how. Yuri only learned how to use her Pureblood powers when she arrived in the monastery, under the sheltering wings of her sensei._

_She had arrived at the monastery, weak from Hunger, scrawny and too-thin, wearing ragged clothes and with a head of ratty and unwashed hair. She was tired and thought that a monastery in good condition would mean both food and a safe place to succumb to unconscious. Priests and nuns were usually the best source of food for a wayward vampire. Also, shelter, yup._

_However, after she knocked on the door, she started to get second thoughts. Alarm bells went off in her head, as she felt the powerful presence of an older creature. A creature almost exactly like her. Unwittingly, she had crossed into his territory. Slowly, she began to back off, remembering the reactions of those who had shared the facility with her. She was understandably wary._

_His presence was overwhelming, his vast power washed over her and rooted her to the spot. Feeling a flash of fear, she tensed, preparing to either fight for her life or high-tail it to the hills. Thinking back on what she had been told by the people, and the other subjects, that were at the facility, she was very deeply afraid. Circulating about the facility were the deeds of the previous generation, and she knew, or thought she knew, a bit about them._

_Looking back on it now, she should have realised that the bias of the scientists had warped her view of creatures that had just wanted to be free. The First generation was not all that different than the second, but when the second had been created by the scientists, the first were the scapegoats. The things that were used against them to keep them alive. The First generation was painted as the villains, the monsters to the monsters._

_Before she could get very far, she knew he had sensed her by now, the doors to the building opened. She had fear at the forefront of her mind, but it changed when she saw the person behind the door. He was just a man. A very beautiful man, yes, but still just a man. He was not hideous, quite the opposite, and that made her question all that had been told to her by the scientists._

_Needless to say, she was unprepared for the sight that met her eyes. He had shoulder-length silver hair that he had pulled back into a low-hanging ponytail. Large lilac eyes framed by long pale lashes, and equally pale skin. If not for the masculine cut of his robes, by sight alone he could have easily passed for a member of the opposite sex. Back then, Yuri realized that she had been a smidgen miffed that he was even more beautiful than her. Later she would realize that she had been a foolishly vain child, as she was raised to be._

_That was just the first sight of him. When the door opened his scent hit her. Delicious. This strangers scent was overwhelmingly, overpoweringly mouthwatering. Understandably distracted by this, she failed to notice his observation of her._

_~_

_ZERO had had a pleasant day so far. Speaking with the nuns and the young boys studying to become priests, watering the gardens, tending to the horses, all in a day's work._

_He was disturbed from the peacefully boring day by the new arrival. Feeling her approach for half an hour, he waited until she was within the gates before he tasted her scent. “Tasted” ha, he really just felt her aura and determined how dangerous she was based upon the scent of blood upon her. He hoped that she wasn’t dangerous. It would be such a pity to kill such a young soul._

_The person that was approaching the monastery was a creature like him. He knew what she was the second she came within his range. This young one was like him. Her presence, so different from that of a Human’s was so much like his own. For a split second, he almost believed that she was a part of the TWELVE. “Looking” more closely at her scent, he became aware of the key differences between them. As well as her gender. She smelt more like a creature than a human or animal, something more like the wolf-man at the circus he saw once. How strange._

_Warily, he observed her from his perch. He had settled himself beside the door, and was waiting for her to approach, and debating what to do when she did. He debated whether or not to let her in or chase her away. She was an unknown variable, something that could be as dangerous as an atomic bomb, or as docile as a kitten._

_He knew that she seemed harmless, she smelt more of dirt and grime than blood after all, but…_

_ZERO was fifty years old. And he liked to think that he had learned a lot in the time he had been alive. He had seen people who had seemed that they would not hurt a fly. They had been the ones that he had ended up making the horrible decision of trusting. Even Humans, and they were the ones most dangerous. It was a being who was like that that had ended up giving him his first and only fatal wound. Fatal for mortals, anyway. ‘Cause, you know._

_He is alive._

~

Erin and Nora Whitehart Kuran are the daughters of Yuki Kuran and her husband Christopher Whitehart Kuran. They were twins, something very rare for the Vampire race, and Purebloods to boot. The two of them were three years old, and had just celebrated their third birthday.

So young, were they, that they were just starting to speak. Erin could just barely form complete sentences, and her sister was just a step behind her.

They were very much like their estranged brother, all three being very smart and powerful for their age. Well, except maybe Nora. Nora was a tad slower than her sister, in all things.

But, Erin.

Erin Whitehart Kuran was a very smart little girl. She could notice that something was wrong. And notice she did. Well, overhear, but _details_ .  She could hear the maids and the servants talking, no one ever cares to think that a small child might hear them, speaking of her mother. Her Dam. They said that she had changed after her marriage to Erin’s father. She had become more...quiet. Less _there_.

Like her Dam had suddenly become a ghost.

They spoke of the change that had happened after the marriage of the Master and Mistress of the house. Yuki Kuran had become more like a proper Pureblood, and less a child. And in some ways this was very good.

It was also very bad.

Where before the headstrong young Vampire would stand up for what she believed in, a glistening breath of sunlight in a dark, dark world. She was kind to the staff, and very much concerned for their wellbeing. She was sad, of course, with the loss of her brother and fiance, but she was trying to move on, and was working to become someone who could support herself. She was moving forwards, and would soon have a child to support.

So she decided to look for a husband. She thought that every child needed a father, a Sire. She jumped into the dating pool. And caught the eye of another Pureblood. She was wooed by the third child of the Whitehart family, and had a very good time weeding out whether or not to marry him. She was happy to, in the end. He helped her, supported her, and let her speak of her true feelings. She thought that Christopher was perfect, and would be the perfect father for not only her child, but also their future children.

All of this changed when she signed the marriage contract with her husband. Yuki lost both her drive and her spark. She became a husk of a woman that obeyed her husband. In some circles, and always when there were prying eyes, they acted like the happiest couple in the world.

But Erin knew better. Something was wrong with her mother. Little as she was, the daughter of Yuki and Christopher could feel that something was off. Nora was blissfully unaware. But Erin could feel the way her mother clung to her, felt her reluctance to set either her or her sister down or in another's arms. Her missing brother was a part of this as well. It had been said that many were surprised at the sudden decision for the Pureblood heiress to send her child to Japan. She had spoken openly about her plans to raise her child, and the complete turnaround had surprised many.

Erin was sure that there was something wrong with her mother. And maybe her father also? Either that or it was he was the problem.

“Erin-sama! Erin-sama! Come out! Please!” That was Erin’s nanny, and she was frantic. Considering how often Erin ran off, you would think that either she would be less worried, or she would keep a closer eye on the girl. Oh, well. Erin could go and sit with her nanny. She was a better alternative than her inattentive father and not-there mother.

 _Maybe,_ Erin thought, _Nora would be up for making some castles. We have the sticks._

“Nanny!” She called. And was swept up in the arms of a worried and fretting old Vampire.

Off to see her sister. The wonderful sister she had.

~

Yagari Touga was _not_ a Housewife dammit. He wasn’t.

But here he was, cleaning the kitchen of the Headmaster who was both his oldest friend and his former mentor.

“Shitty old man,” He mutters, “Fucking bastard, needs to be kept away from a fucking kitchen, God!” He snarled, “How the FUCK” Yagari was past pised. He was outraged. “has that shit not killed either of the Vampires living in this house!?” On second thought, he probably didn’t want to know. Damn kids need healthy shit, not Cross’ garbage cooking.

Turning his eyes upon the rest of the now-mostly-clean kitchen, he sighed. Swiping his hands through his hair, he gave a sigh. It was a combination of an exasperated and long-suffering sigh. The old Hunter was _well aware_ of the Vampire sitting in the living room. He was not at all alarmed though, because he didn’t feel he had to be. Not only was Zero mostly fine, but he had a very experienced Hunter in the room with him. And a tiny Pureblood. Not that he would be any help. But. He could probably call the noble Vampires.

That would fuck shit up.

Yagari kind of wanted to see that. Pureblood versus Pureblood. The Battle of the Century!

Oh well. Not like he cares. Not until blood is spilt.

Back to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, everyone for this hella late chapter, I got reeeaaallly sick, and then legal bullshit happened. You know.  
> Anyways, blah, blah, disclaimed, etcetera...  
> Enjoy!


	5. The Hunger

_ ZERO was no stranger to the horrors of the world. In fact, quite the opposite. The two of them were very well acquainted. Yuri, to, had a bit of experience with the evil in the depths. And ZERO tried to impress upon her the importance of mistrust. _

_ Well, not that specifically, but, close enough. _

_ Yuri’s open mind and childlike nature were bound to be spoiled one day. When she trusted one to many times, when she was betrayed by someone whom she thought it would never come from. It didn’t stick very well. Obviously. _

_ She went on wild romps about the monastery, when they were stationary, and about the fields, mountains, and every other landscape when they weren’t. _

_ But curiosity wouldn’t kill this cat. Well, not yet, anyway. ZERO was worried for her future. _

_ She occasionally likened him to a father or mother. Said that he reminded her of an overprotective parent that was watching their child slowly become an adult. He was not her father. He was pretty sure, anyway. They were test-tube babies, and could very well be each other's cousins for all they know. It would certainly explain their similar features and nearly equally pale hair. Seriously, born in Japan, with silver hair? Blond? In a racial society of dark haired and eyed individuals. _

_ Genetic luck? Or relation? _

_ ZERO doesn’t much care, in any case, and decided to stop thinking about it. _

_ Yuri was now about twenty-five years old, and the two of them were on the move. Childish personality and sarcasm well intact. Hooray.  _

_ The monastery was a good place to live, but ZERO had never planned to stay more than ten years. As he had found with the first Human settlement he had tried to live at, once they noticed you didn’t age or fall ill… Game over. They would chase you out of town, old fashioned mob style, pitchforks and everything. Anyway, the time they spent there was enough. _

_ Yuri was allowed a fairly peaceful place to grow and learn for a few years, and then they were off. They also helped the people of the nearby village to advance. But, details. _

_ The two former experiments had been traveling for close to a year, now. Acquiring horses from the town they lived near. They were moving about the world, at a calm and steady pace. Learning as they went. Well, in Yuri’s case it was a lot more fun, a lot less learning.  _

_ During their travels, they happened to stumble across another of Yuri’s generation. ZERO had sensed the youth long before Yuri had, and when she had noticed him, tried to talk her out of a confrontation. He had been hoping that she would not notice him. His mistake. _

_ Now, she was excited to meet him. Another like her! She had not met any from her generation since the aftermath of the destruction of the facility. She wanted to introduce her sensei to him, as all of the others that she had met in the facilities were very nice. _

_ They met him in a blood-stained field, where ZERO thought that nothing would be able to grow. The ground was stained black and burgundy, and even grass refused to grow. Somehow, in this desolate place, a young experiment was alive. He had dark hair, that curled gently about his face, framing it. Pale skin, clad in dark clothes, no idea where he got them, and wine-colored eyes. _

_ He had no memory. Of his facility, of his power, of his name. But he knew what he was. ZERO pondered the strangeness of  it. Yuri, in all her wisdom, offered him a place with the two of them. Then, she gave him a name. Even after he refused to come with them. ZERO had given a silent sigh of relief, when that happened. However, at the same time, he was worried. This was a young, powerful, and moldable creature. Conflicted on the decision of whether or not to bring him along anyway, he spaced out. Missing when the horses moved on, and they were already away by the time he caught it. _

_ “Kaname.” He murmured, “When we come back, I will see you again. See how you’ve grown.” He turned back towards the fading figure, his eyes easily picking him out, even against the dark background. “And if I find you to be a threat…” _

_ He turned away, and continued on. It would be a hard task, but he could deal with whatever the world threw at him. And this boy was no different. He loved this world. ZERO would protect it. So he made this vow. _

_ “I will kill you.” _

~

As Kaname grieved, the oppressive silence began to settle around the room again. Cross had, to escape the tense silence between the two Vampire’s, rushed out to check on the others that had accompanied them in the revival of Kaname. He was still slightly worried about his precious students, as they had gone through a great shock, and one of them had lost quite a bit of blood to help a friend. Master.

That and the mail. He had neglected that in all the excitement. Oops.

The Noble Vampires had been very tired when they had returned. Seiren had all but collapsed in the entryway of the Moon dorms. She was carted to Kaname’s former room, now a guest room for Purebloods (rarely used), by Ruka and Rima. The slim girl was surprisingly heavy, and it had taken the two of them to cart her off. The girls decided to remain with their exhausted friend, for company and to provide information when she wakes up. Also, blood. In case she was hungry.

Takuma and Shiki had retired to the main waiting room/lounge and had snuggled up together on the couch. Reading manga and eating sweets. 

_ Maybe  _ something else. Ooh-la-la.

Aidou and Kain had taken on the job of going around and speaking to the Vampires in the Night Class. They were informing them that the Vampire King had returned, and that things were about to change. Why wasn’t Takuma doing this? He was tired, and Kain had volunteered. Aidou had been dragged along, kicking and screaming. But, he had taken to his duties and was using his natural charm to try to placate the others.

The Headmaster went about and fussed over his students, making sure that both the Day and Night Class were alright and relaxed. For the Day students, classes would start early the next morning, after all. And, despite all that has gone on, classes and education were still important

Heading back, Cross grabbed the mail. Among the assortments of advertisements and bills was a single black letter. It was addressed to Yagari Touga.

Oh, he was not going to be happy. Not at all.

Zero’s irritable sensei was a simmering pot of aggression. The Association sending him this letter after his student, someone he had considered family, was nearly killed, could make him boil over. Okay, so it wasn’t that serious, and his student had killed all the Level E in the area… Still! It would be, as the saying goes, out of the frying pan and into the fire.

Oh dear.

~

The Headmaster of Cross Academy and Zero’s Guardian seems to take a degree of joy out of leaving him alone with a Vampire he had hated. Sure, Yagari-sensei was in the next room, and more than likely armed to the teeth, but still. It was the idea. Zero and a small child had been left unattended with a possibly-homicidal-maybe-hates-Zero’s-guts Pureblood Vampire. He could defend himself, but… Safety and strength in numbers. Especially against Kaname Kuran.

Akira had gradually lost interest with the Pureblood sitting across from him, at least, after he had declined to say anything else. Well, until he could get his head wrapped around everything.

All the Pureblood did was stare at his son. Creepy.

Akira was relaxed, and possibly slightly sleepy, and had begun to pick at Zero’s clothes.  _ Brat _ . Zero himself had also relaxed significantly, and though he was still on guard, he had chosen to trust the fact that Kaname seemed concerned for his son and would probably, probably, not hurt him. He ran a hand through the child's hair, earning himself a soft sound of contentment. And the child pushing back into his hand.  _ What a little kitten. _

It was all very cute. Or slightly sickening, from Kaname’s perspective.

But he was still aware of the Vampire who was watching his every move. It was the eyes of a being that was old and had very little trust for the person who had once been his enemy. Despite all that had happened between them, despite all that had happened while the older Pureblood was asleep, it was a change. One that he had not been expecting.

He was trying to keep a portion of his awareness on the old Vampire, but it was getting increasingly difficult. His Hunger was returning.

With Kaname, someone he had drunk from before, and a Pureblood, sitting within ten feet of him, well. It was awakening his appetite. The Purebloods scent was old and aged like the finest wine. He smelt almost divine. Zero’s fangs were aching, pressing against his gums, straining and pushing at his lips. Longing to sink deep into the pale column of Kaname’s throat. 

There was a bright light in the blistering heated darkness of his Thirst.. Akira’s blood was not appealing.

The relief that this newfound information provided was nearly overwhelming. Zero had feared, ever since the child had been settled into his arms. Ever since that small body had first been in the range of his senses. It was like the problem with Yuki all over again. He had been struck by the crippling fear that he would be unable to resist the child's blood. That he would have sunk his fangs deeply into the neck of his child, and drained the small body of the life-giving liquid.

His fear had driven him to choking the blood tablets down by the handful. No matter the texture, no matter the taste. He would not kill this child. Never. Zero had feared that he would slip. That he would one day be thirsting for the boys blood. Zero Kiryu  _ loved  _ Akira Kuran. Had loved him ever since the fragile boy had been set into his arms.

No matter that he was a Vampire. No matter the child’s parents and lineage. Zero loved him. 

But with love, comes fear. The fear for something much weaker than oneself. Fear, especially born from love, can drive even the most mild of people to take drastic measures.

And it was this fear that lead Zero to avoid the child.

He was an Ex-Human, a Level D, and he was starving. He was hit with waves of the Hunger that were so intense, sometimes, that his body would shut down. But this shutdown was unnatural. He would forcefully shut himself down. Zero would rather die than hurt anyone he loved.

Still. The knowledge and relief that he was not tempted by his child. It also helped to distract him from his Hunger.

~

Kaname had allowed himself a moment to grieve.

To grieve for the girl he thought he had known, for his child who had had neither parents for the first five years of his life, and now he just wanted to talk to his son. He wanted to connect with him, and he yearned to form a bond with him. His progeny. The problem was, that he had no idea where to start. He had gone quiet, and his son, as young children were, had gotten bored and was looking for a distraction.

If only he could find a place to start.

~

Akira was content. Wrapped up securely in the arms of his Dam, and his newly-discovered Sire a warm presence in the room with them, he was content. They radiated warmth and safety, and soothed his subconscious. He had gotten bored of the silence that settled around them, and had curled himself against Zero. The young Vampire relaxed into the warmth of his Dam’s chest, and made a soft, contented sound when a slim hand started carding through his hair. He always loved it when Zero would play with his hair.

His dark and curly hair was always getting into tangles. Such is the life. But, perks, he could get his most important person to stay with him. That was always good. Especially after a hot bath.

The young Pureblood was also experiencing an interesting cocktail of emotions, at the moment. Akira was able to be both calm and excited, and his awareness of his surroundings caused him to notice the disturbance almost immediately. A split-second difference, which, in any other situation, would save his life.

He was so attuned to the body that held him that he could almost immediately notice the difference. The Hunger had set in. Of course, he did not know that that was what it was called, but it was a change that he noticed. He could feel the change in the muscles he was wrapped in, and the way that his Dam’s breaths became shallow and more raspy. He looked up at Zero and that simple move drew the attention of his Pureblood Sire.

“Your Hunger,” Kaname murmured, “It’s come back.” It was now obvious that the Level D had not fed for quite some time. His eyes sharpened. 

Zero tried to protest. “I am fi-” 

“Even my son can tell.” Kaname interrupted. It was true to, his boy had realized before himself. Perhaps because he was perched on the low-ranking Vampire. “How long has it been? Since the last time?” He needed to know, as that would both determine his level of danger to the Humans at the school, and the child in his arms. The latter was more important to Kaname, however.

“Five years,” Those words were like a bucket of ice poured down his back. Five years of resisting the Hunger. That is, if he believed what the other was saying. Starvation should have set in by now.

“Years.” Just to be sure, he had to confirm. If Zero hesitated, then Kaname would know that he was lying.

“Yes.” Apparently, he wasn’t. Jesus fuck. Four years of resisting the Change, and then five more years resisting the Thirst. Loathe as he was to admit it, but Kaname was impressed. And more than a little afraid. Not for himself. He was an ancient Pureblood Vampire, and he was very powerful. He was scared for his son.

“...Give him to me.”

“No. Also, fuck you.” Zero shot the request out of the air, almost the second the words left his mouth. 

“You are a danger.”  _ To Akira _ . Of this, Kaname was certain. And the unspoken words hung in the air between them, angering Zero and making him hold Akira more tightly. This heightened Kaname’s anxiety as a result.

“I would never hurt him.” His voice had dropped to a low snarl. He sounded a lot like his sensei, and Yagari would be absolutely delighted to notice this.

“You-” The equally stubborn Pureblood tried again. 

And was, once again, shot down. Interrupted. Manners, Zero, manners. You lack them. “He isn’t appealing.” He tried to put enough gravity in this statement that Kuran wouldn’t ask further. He didn’t want to say too much to him. They parted on sort-of bad terms, after all.

“...In any case,” And, he tried again. Two stubborn bulls locked horns. They rolled up their sleeves and pulled on their boxing gloves. Ring, ring! Let the fight begin!

“No.” On this, Zero would never back down. And, being a stubborn individual in the first place, it was very likely that Kaname would have to use his teeth and claws to pry his son from Zero’s cold, dead, hands. Kaname couldn’t do that. He was still wrapped up in the past, and was beginning to be confused with the present as well. He couldn’t kill the filthy lower-class Vampire because of Yuki. And now, because of his son.  _ Oh God. _

“Dam?” When the reminder that the boy was in fact a sentient being was shoved in their faces, it came a way the ancient Pureblood didn’t expect. He was floored. Yet again.

“Yes, Akira?” Zero did his best to ignore the proverbial elephant in the room, and turned his attention to his child. 

“Thirsty?” His innocent question made them both tense, but when he held up his juice-box-  _ Jesus Christ, he takes after Cross _ \- they relaxed. Zero smiled, but shook his head, and gently pushed away the hand of his boy. The Thirst came in waves, and this wave was already broken. It would soon recede.

A loud noise sounded throughout the room, and then the following  _ thud  _ put the two adults in the room on edge. “Ouch…” The Headmaster's voice was a surprise, and what was even more surprising was the rush with which Yagari flew out of the room.

“Cross?”

“What happened?” 

Both the older Vampires had tried to speak at the same time, and the end result was that no-one would get an answer. Except all-knowing Akira. Who had, apparently, been listening to the two in the other room.

“Shit went down.” Silence. Yagari, even in his haste to exit the house, paused to laugh a little. He flashed the boy a thumbs-up, and was halfway out the door by the time Zero called after him. Akira, he was giggling. Definitely a little shit, Kaname thought dazedly. Also, he was being blown out of the water by a lot of things lately.  _ I will  have to fix that. _

“Akira--Yagari-sensei!” Zero was aghast, and Kaname was glad that he was at last not alone in his surprise. Akira just cussed. A minor cus, to be sure, but still. Calling after his teacher, without those specific words, he demanded an explanation.

“Expanding his vocabulary!” This was the last thing that Yagari threw over his shoulder, as he was out the door.

~

When Cross had handed Yagari the letter from the Hunter’s Association, he was not surprised by his friends reaction.

The one-eyed Hunter had begun to physically vibrate with rage even before he began to read it. This anger only grew as he opened and read it. It was a  _ summons  _ for him to report to the Association by that very night. He was being called like a dog that had strayed too far from his master. That alone was enough to piss off the younger Hunter, but the fact that the person who wrote it decided to call Zero-his student-a thing. They didn’t even spare the paper to give the Ex-Human a gender.

As a side note, it was also a very convenient time for this letter to arrive. The parchment was very fresh, and the ink, in some places, had smeared across the opposite side. Or white out. Whatever they used on black paper. Charcoal? Anyway. Either the summons was personally delivered, or someone has fucking future sight. Or spies.

In the world they live in, none of those were things that were amazing, out-there ideas.

Cross was silent in his observation of Yagari. The Ex-Hunter felt an icy calm settle over him, drawing him back into his previous persona.  _ This has been happening a lot lately _ , He noted absently. Probably from all the panic and the worry over those important to him. He watched through the icy veil of detachment as Yagari shredded the pitch-colored parchment with a snarl. The pieces spread on the floor, and the contrast of the dark black against the cream tile was astonishing.

The younger of the two jerked away from the counter, drying his hands with a fierceness that was misguided. What did that poor dish-towel ever do to him? All of the Hunter’s usual grace and flowing movements gone, overturned by his rage. Snatching his weapons off of the chair he had placed them on, - all of them, even the boot-knife- and made for the door. Shoving the weapons in their proper places as he went.

But Cross couldn’t let him go. Not like this.

The way that Yagari was now, he was going to get himself killed.

Cross pushed himself into Yagari’s path, planting his feet. He stood tall, and spread his arms out slightly, to block the door and to catch the man. Yagari ground to a halt, nearly barreling into the Headmaster. His single azure eye glared at Cross from beneath his dark fringe. 

“Kaien,” His voice was a low growl, dark and dangerous. “Move.” Rage had stepped into every pore of his body, spreading through him like a disease. It was palpable, and Cross could almost see the steam coming from his former students ears.

He was a clogged water pipe, and was just waiting to burst.

Cross knew that he absolutely could not let his friend leave in this state. He was not fast enough, however.

As he opened his mouth, he was stunned by the actions that his friend took next. The butt of his friends gun was suddenly rammed against his temple. To say that he had not been expecting that was an understatement. The Headmaster crumpled to the ground, and though he did not fall unconscious, he was still injured and surprised enough that he was not on his feet right away.

This split-second of hesitation allowed Yagari to leave, to slip past him. The younger man slithered out the door like a snake, and was gone from his sight in but a moment. The sight caused Kaien Cross to be overcome with dread. Slithering down his throat, choking the breath from his lungs. It sank into his stomach like a particularly thick gulp of a milkshake, and the pressure made him feel as though he was going to throw-up. The feeling would stay for a while, he knew, and would not disappear until he saw Yagari Touga again,  _ safe _ .

As he watched his dearest friend stomp out the door, it made him think it would be the last time.

~

The door of the Hunters Association  Main building slammed against the wall. The thud of Yagari Touga’s thick black boots echoed sharply around the cold halls. Hunters that were working-loitering- about all turned their eyes to the senior Hunter. He ignored them, caught up in his own thoughts. It had been a stress-filled twenty-four hours.

Lined up in his head, Zero going on a suicide mission without backup. Akira freaking the fuck out at God-awful-o’clock. Cross’ Mary Poppins fuck self.  _ That God-damned kitchen _ . Now this. What a wonderful day. Night. Whatever.

Clad in his trademark coat which fanned out about his heels, and his hat and eyepatch, he made for an intimidating sight. And he knew it. He chose these particular clothes for a reason, after all. Beneath said eyepatch, his face was twisted into an enraged snarl. And it only grew darker as he marched straight for the Association President’s office. The dainty little receptionist tried to protest. It fell on deaf ears.

Effortlessly flicking the silly little boy aside, Yagari moved into the office. The President was unsurprised by the interruption, and as such, was unmoved by his arrival. The unfortunate young Hunter Trainee also in the office, however, was  _ definitely  _ affected. Poor kid jumped three feet in the air. From a sitting position, this was quite impressive.

Sitting calmly in her chair, was the demure President. With a flick of her slim wrist, she dismissed the Trainee. He bowed and scrambled towards the exit. He was out of the firing zone. Much to his appreciation. 

_ You have them wrapped around your fingers, _ Yagari mused darkly.  _ No wonder you became President so soon. _

Greeting the dark-haired Hunter with an easy smile, she gestured for him to sit. “Please, make yourself comfortable.” Her voice was low, and deceptively gentle. It reminded Yagari of silk, silk that hid a deadly blade. A blade most likely dipped in poison. Remember, this was a woman who had had no qualms with giving a young man suicide missions for well over a year.  _ What a bitch. _

It had made him even angrier to realize that it had been going on for so long. This confrontation was long overdue. And Zero’s I-can-do-it-I-don’t-need-help-or-medical-aid mindset. It wasn’t a stretch to think that his student had helped to extend the time in which this had been going on. Zero also might be suicidal. Maybe.

Just to be contrary, Yagari decided to remain standing.

“Karin Kuroshi,” he snarled, “ _ Explain _ .”

“Oh, Touga-senpai,” she laughed, “Explain what?  _ Do  _ be more specific.” Kuroshi kept her pale gray eyes on him. She had drawn up her kimono-clad hand to cover her face. She was silently laughing at him. Mocking him. And she was perfectly fine showing him this. This just made him even more angry.

Yagari tensed. “You know!” He snarled.

President Kurishi watched him, amused. “Call it an honor, Touga-senpai.” Her eyes narrowed at him, and her smile became more sinister. “That thing gets attention from the President herself.”

Her words took little time at all to register. “What.” The word fell flat in the darkness of the room (what the fuck, woman, lights exist). It seemed that the very air around them held it’s breath. Waiting for something to happen. Silence that was only broken by the clink and chime of the knicknacks the President was so fond of. The President smiled, dropping her hand from her face.

The trap was sprung, and all Hell broke loose.

~

Kaname had finally grown tired of the silence. “Why does he cling to you?” He questioned, “He called you his  _ Dam _ . Are you aware that--” 

“I am aware.” Zero snapped. He was aware of what the child had said, and that it should be Yuki that was in this position. But this child was his. Not only had Akira chosen him, but he had chosen Akira. The blood of the bond can be thicker than the water of the womb.

“He has branded you as his mother.” Kaname snarled, and his agitation was rising fast. Zero was in the place of his dear girl, and the child was okay with this. Akira was clinging to an Ex-Human.  _ An Ex-Human. _

“Yes.” Zero was not going to let a Vampire that had been absent for the first few years of his child’s life take him away. Akira would stay with him. And Zero was prepared to fight for him.

“No!” Kaname shook his head, his anger and denial blending to form an unidentifiable emotion. “That is where Yuki is supposed to be! She would never have just-” 

Zero had had enough at this point and lunged forwards, shifting the child in his arms to his back. He barreled into the older Vampire, and clamped both of his hands around his neck. Peering down into the anguished and startled eyes of his former foe. 

“Face the facts, Kuran! She left him here!”

This caused Kaname to shut up. The shock and the reality that came crashing down around his ears, was enough to make him wish he had never woken back up. Again, with the silence. Zero then realized the awkward position the two of them were in. He was resting on the Purebloods body, settled on top of the other man’s hips, pinning him. He had a hand over the man’s mouth, and his other was planted on Kuran’s shoulder.

And, here comes the mortified flush. Or blush. Yay, bisexuality.

~

“I know you can read.” Zero was trying to be patient. He was. It was hard, however, when his child was being stubborn, and the father of said child was hovering. Literally following the two of them around, as he tried to acclimate himself to the way things were now. After their little episode in the living room, Zero had patched up the Headmaster-ignoring his whining- and was now trying to further Akira’s education.

Said child was being as resistant as possible to his efforts. He was in the beginning stages of a tantrum, Zero knew, but said maelstrom probably wouldn’t hit until it was well into the next night. Patterns were born, and Akira knew that he could get away with things easier if Zero was out or asleep. 

“‘N wanna,” Akira mumbled, shaking his head. He was perched on the edge of the couch, and held a small throw-pillow against his chest. His voice was muffled by the pillow squished to his face, and that garbled his already shaky words. Nearly to beyond comprehension.

“Akira,” Zero stated firmly, needing the boy’s attention firmly on him. “Just one?” When he had Akira’s attention, he held up a thin picture book. It was one of the things Yuki had left behind, and was now being reused for her son.

When the little Vampire shook his head, yet again, in refusal, Zero decided to try a different tactic. With a sigh, he tried again. “Let me put it this way. If you read this book with me, I will take a bath with you. If  _ not… _ ” Pausing for dramatic effect, he lowered his voice until it was nothing but a deep growl. At last, he spoke the least desirable words. “Cross, instead.”

This caused the small boy to cave almost immediately. “‘Kay,” He had taken baths with the man before. One in particular had ended up with a small bomb being built, a fire extinguisher exploding, and a very naked baby running about. Chased by a very naked Cross.  Also, no one got clean. Mission fail. Akira had been scarred for life. It was a war zone, and he had no desire to go through that again. And so, he opened the book, and began to skim through the pages.

Zero was on him in an instant. “Out loud.”

Akira gave a nearly inaudible sigh, and began again.

Oh well. At least ‘The Little Engine That Could’ was mildly enjoyable.

~

The new Hunters Association President, Karin Kuroshi had been the President for close to two years now, and an experienced hunter for about twenty. She had lived in Hokkaido for the majority of her life, and had been taught to fight by her father. Her mother was a good-for-nothing.

Her Anti-Vampire weapon was unique. It is not a gun, for one thing. And for another, it is an ax. Just an ax. Of course, it was also dipped in Anti-Vampire poisons. Or, well, you could say, soaked with it.

Becoming the President with the death of the previous one, the one elected after the war, and had taken the reins since. Because of her gender, she was sometimes underestimated. But she ruled with an iron fist. Had since she had killed the previous President.

Yes. She killed him. Brutal woman.

Stating a  coup d'etat was not the easiest thing in the world. Luckily, she had the support of the senior Hunters, who approved of her hatred for all Vampires. Karin had been sowing the seeds of rebellion since the end of the war. A master manipulator, she was.

A small, wise, and green alien, she was not.

The only obstacle that she had encountered were the youngest Hunters. She had not been anticipating the steadfast loyalties of the younger generation, and their devotion and loyalty to not only Yagari Touga, but also Zero Kiryuu. It was a mistake on her part. Not realizing that the younger generation was more open minded, was one of the greatest holes in her plot. That made her takeover all the more hard.

She would have to work on that. They could not show mercy to those monsters.

But, she wouldn’t give up. Karin Kuroshi would have what she wanted. She was a determined woman, after all.

Hopping down off her perch from the top of her desk, she retrieved her ax. It had been lodged deep into the wood of her office door. Well, she had thrown it at the man's head. It missed, though. More's the pity. That would have been a quick death.

The ambush had been a spectacular success. Kuroshi was  _ very  _ pleased with the result. Yagari Touga lay before her, bleeding out on her polished floors. I will have to have them replaced, she thought with an irritable huff. This man, which had once been a major obstacle for her- no, for all Hunters, was finally dealt with. He wasn’t dead yet, but it wouldn’t be long.

Goading her senpai had been an  _ excellent  _ idea. One of the best she had ever had. Kuroshi moved over towards him, and prodded him with her foot. Daintily of course, her shoes were quality leather. She absolutely loathed getting blood on her clothes. As any Hunter, or Hell, even Vampire could understand, it was a bitch to clean. This, was absolutely necessary, though, so whatever.

Yagari Touga lay at the Association President’s feet. Beaten by both fists and blades, he had a blood-covered chest. Her ax had skimmed his shoulder and cheek, and the bullet wounds that littered his body were steadily dripping blood. He was going to be very sore when he woke. If he woke at all.

Her goal accomplished, she directed the other Hunters in the room to take their Senior out. Karin cared not where they dumped the body. She was certain he couldn’t be saved.

It is amazing, she mused, that her senpai had never bothered to look up. Before he had arrived, when she had caught wind that he was on his way, she had called for four other Hunters. They clung to the ceiling of her office, and while the muscles could get tired, he was suitably stirred up. So much that he didn’t notice them, too focused on her. Silly senpai.

Such a move would cost him his life. It might have. The idea brought a smile to her pale lips.

~

Erin looked a lot like her mother. Long, dark, straight hair, and pale skin. She had long lashes and her only trait from her father, a pair of big blue eyes. Her nanny liked to dress her and her sister up in pretty little gowns. The one she was wearing at the moment was in a Chinese style. It was embroidered beautifully with cranes and white roses. In her hair, she wore a white rose. “Accessories!” Her nanny would exclaim. 

The excitable woman  _ adored  _ this part of her job, and Erin had no problem indulging her.

Nora, on the other hand, absolutely hated dress up. She would tear ornaments out of her hair, and would pout and wail when presented with beautiful clothes. The younger twin preferred to have simple garments. And apparently, she found silk uncomfortable.

Erin was spending the day with her Sire. Her Papa was  usually a very busy man, but he always sought out little Erin when he had time. Christopher was what you would call a doting father. He absolutely spoiled his daughters, and was always trying to spend time with them. Nora preferred their Mama over their Papa, but Erin was fine with that.

She got her Papa all to herself.

Many days she would make things for her Papa, just to have an excuse to see him. Her nanny showed her how to make flowers into a crown or necklace, and how to string noodles up on string, and make them pretty with glitter and beads. Papa was always delighted when she did this, he had a collection. And he wore a different one every day.

To the staff, it was obvious that he loved his daughters. And they thought that he loved his wife as well.

Erin didn’t think so.

Her Papa was kind to her Mama, yes, but not loving. He extended gestures of compassion, not love. Erin also noticed that her Mama didn’t seem to care. She only ever spoke to him when he spoke to her first, and, though it wasn’t obvious, she seemed to avoid him. Also, she was never happy when Erin was left alone with her Papa for too long. It made her Mama upset. Erin couldn’t understand why.

That was understandable. She was only three, after all.

~

Christopher Whitehart Kuran was a very successful business man. He owned three companies, that he had built from the ground up, and was making money by the thousands. Investing in medicine and sports was a very good idea, apparently.

He did his best to keep up the charade of a loving husband with his wife, but it was wearing on him. The only brightness in his life was his little girls. He was proud of their progress, of their accomplishments, and he did  _ have  _ some affection for Yuki, if only because he daughters wouldn't be as perfect as they were unless she was their mother. His girls were absolutely beautiful, and he wanted the best, the absolute best, for them.

But…

Kurans were the bane of his existence. Yuki, Juri, Haruka, Rido, and that blasted ancestor. He had heard the story from Yuki, and it just made him hate the man even more. If the bastard ever woke up, it would derail, if not destroy, his plans. Yuki was only tolerable because she was under his control. The old Whitehart spell was quite useful. It made the one whose hair and blood were wrapped with a black ribbon bound to the one who had cast the spell. Yuki Kuran’s life literally rested in the palm of his hand. 

But his little wife was a fighter. 

He had activated the spell shortly before their wedding night, and to his absolute delight it had worked beautifully.She was a little puppet, dangling on strings. Strings which were wrapped about his fingers.

“Pa?”

The soft voice of his lovely daughter brought him out of his thoughts. He turned towards his little Erin, a bright smile across his face. When she saw his expression, she gave a soft giggle and ran to him. He stood, swooping him up into his arms, and covering her face with gentle kisses.

Her nanny peered through the door, and seeing who she was with, turned away. She was going to take a break from the little Pureblood.

“My little love,” he cooed, “Papa was just thinking about you.”

She pulled back, peering up at him with blue eyes. “Good thoughts?” She queried, it was a question she asked him all the time. The few words she knew. He smiled down at her in answer, settling her in his lap as he sat again.

“Good thoughts.” Satisfied with the answer, she proceeded to enlighten him on the details of her day. How she was getting better at hiding from her nanny, the house she and Nora had made out of popsicle sticks, and the flower crown she had made for her Mama.

“Ma,” He watched, amused, as she tried to piece together another sentence. “She sad. Make…” His little girl paused, and gestured to her head, pointing first to the rose, and then making a circle with her finger.

“How thoughtful,” he hummed, rubbing her back. She beamed at him, happy that what she was trying to say was being translated. No more thoughts of his puppet wife crossed his mind, and he placed each of his schemes on hold. Anything for his little girl. They sat like that, for the rest of the day.

Just father and daughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you may have noticed, my chappies are getting longer and longer.  
> The time between, will also.  
> So... Sorry,  
> ~Jay


End file.
